February in the Garden
February is an important transition month in Northern California gardens, marking the shift from winter preparation to early spring growth. Longer days and mild temperatures make this a busy and rewarding time to get outside and get a head start on spring gardening.
Planting in February
This is prime time for planting bare-root plants. Bare-root fruit trees should be in the ground as soon as possible so they can establish roots before spring growth begins. Be sure to soak roots before planting and amend soil with compost to give them a strong start.
This is also a great time to plant new roses. Our roses arrive as high-quality bare-root plants, and we carefully pot them up in plantable containers. This gives them a healthy start and makes planting easy when you bring them home
Pruning and dormant spraying
Pruning is an important February task. Prune deciduous fruit trees, roses and grapevines while they are still dormant to shape growth and improve airflow. Remove any dead, damaged or crossing branches. While February is also a good time to cut back ornamental grasses and summer-blooming perennials before new growth emerges, wait until later in the month when the risk of hard frosts has passed.
Don’t wait until spring, though, to spray for pests and diseases. Applying a dormant oil spray should actually start when plants first go dormant in late fall – but there is still time to get an application in. Doing this while plants are still dormant can reduce issues like aphids, scale and mites, and diseases like peach leaf curl, which is very common here. Addressing this before new growth begins leads to healthier growth in
spring.
Soil care and fertilizing
February is ideal for soil care and light fertilizing. It is a good idea to top-dress garden beds with compost and refresh mulch. Refreshing the mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weeds and protects soil from temperature fluctuations that we still experience this time of year. You can also apply organic fertilizers to trees, shrubs and roses as buds begin to swell.
Weeds and pests
Keep an eye out for weeds and pests, which begin to emerge this month. Pull weeds early while they’re small and manageable. It is hopefully a little early but just in case, inspect plants for aphids, scale or fungal issues and address them promptly with appropriate organic controls.
General maintenance
In February, general garden maintenance focuses on preparation and cleanup as plants begin to wake up. Hopefully with the winter rains you’ve been able to give your sprinkler systems a break, while conserving water. Now is the time to check your irrigation for any problems before you start needing them again in spring. You should continue to clean up fallen leaves and debris to reduce pests and diseases.
Final thoughts
Spring is right around the corner. Keep up the maintenance in your garden and it will thrive when the warmer weather comes.
Your hometown third generation McDonnell Nursery knows the area and what to plant, prune or feed. Visit us at 196 Moraga Way, Orinda, call 925.254.3713 or email info@mcdonnellnursery.com.
