Gardening Tips for February 2026

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• Annuals – Bellis perennis, Calendula, Violas (small flowers not Pansies) for containers.
• Perennials - Hellebores, Pulmonaria angustifolia, Aquilegia (Columbine), Dianthus (carnation), Veronica 'Georgia Blue'.
• Shrubs - Ribes, Arctostaphylos, Daphne, Pieris, Sarcococca, Camellia, Lilac.
• Veggies - Artichoke, Onion sets, Carrot seeds, Radish seeds, Potato tubers.
• Bulbs and Tubers- Begonia, Canna, Croscosmia, Dicentra spectabilis, Gladiolus, Liatrus.
• Seeds – Vegetables and Flowers. Shop early while supplies are good.
• Extras - Insecticidal Soap, Diatomaceous earth (powder of fossilized shells), Frost Cloth, Wasp Traps.  
  

• Yellowjacket Traps - If you plan to do lots of outdoor entertaining this year, set yellowjacket traps out this month. The goal is to catch the queens before nests are formed. Yellowjackets can be beneficial in the garden and they are food for blue jays. So, if you're not planning lots of parties then they may be able to be tolerated
• Bulbs and Tubers- Anemones and Ranunculus are sold as 4 inch plants now (both do best with some protection from hard rains).  For the best selection, Buy spring planted, summer flowering bulbs, such as Begonia, Canna, Crocosmia, Dicentra spectabilis, Gladiolus, and Liatrus,now. Choose bulbs that are heavy for their size and free of blemishes. If you're looking for a specific color or flower type buy dahlias now. If you want a large dahlia as soon as you plant it, buy Dahlia as a plant later in the year. You can also plant more than one tuber of Dahlia in one hole to get a bigger plant in its first year.
• House Plants – February is a great time to give shiny leaved, indoor plants a wash. Use half milk to half water for a glossy shine. No need to buy anything special. Use cotton balls or a soft cloth to gently clean each leaf. If an indoor plant has a bad case of sooty mold, use neem oil wash instead (follow package directions to mix neem oil and water). I did this very thing for an outdoor plant this winter that had terrible sooty mold that would not go away with just spraying the plant with neem. I washed the top and underneath of each leaf of a Mandevilla. It’s nice and clean and shiny now with no mold!
• Seeds-February is the time to start many flower and vegetable seeds indoors (greenhouse ideally) for planting out once our frost season has passed (mid to late April here in Zone 9). Count back from end of frost date to determine when to start seeds of Zinnia, Celosia, Annual Gaillardia, Gomphrena, Sunflowers, and more. For example, if a seed packet says, “start seeds indoors 6 weeks before last frost date” start these at the end of February. Also, buy vegetable and flower seeds early in the month before suppliers run out.  
• Pruning-Many shrubs and perennial plants are pruned in February to encourage good form and flowering. These include: Buddleja (Butterfly Bush), Berberis, Fuchsias, Erigeron, Nepeta, Veronica, Lemon Verbena and more. If your plants, such as Teucrium fruticans are pushing growth early, prune them now even though it is early to do so.
• Spring Flowering Shrubs - Remember, spring flowering shrubs are not pruned now because you'll be pruning off flower buds that formed in the last year. Wait to Prune early flowering shrubs, such as Lilac, Forsythia, Flowering quince, Camellias, and Rhododendrons until just after they finish flowering. When you're ready to learn which plants to prune and how hard to prune them contact Mary for an appointment. Continue to deadhead winter color annuals, such as Iceland Poppies, Pansies, Bellis perennis, and Calendula.
• Pest Management-Continue to manage snails, slugs, earwigs, and cutworms with bait or hand picking (toss into a bucket of hot soapy water). Dormant spray plants such as roses before new growth starts to push to avoid damaging the new growth. Spray Peaches and Nectarines one last time before bud break. Also spray the soil under the plants to manage the overwintering pest insects and fungus. Gophers and moles have their place in nature but in the garden...not so much. Watch The Gardening Tutor Video How to Set Gopher and Mole Traps.  
• Scale insects can be a real problem and nearly impossible to manage with any sprays. Scrape off mature scale insects when possible and toss into hot, soapy water. There is more to know about scale, contact Mary when you're ready to learn more.
• Irrigation - Before applying a new layer of mulch check and repair drip irrigation lines. Watch The Gardening Tutor Irrigation Tips Playlist.
• Tools - Clean tools and lightly oil wooden handles- Keeping gardening tools clean helps them last longer. Clean tools before putting away. Before shopping for new tools this year, Watch The Gardening Tutor Tool Video: Overview for Buying and Using Gardening Tools.
• For More February Tips see February 2025 Tips.

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ALL CONTENT by Mary Frost (no AI).