Gardening Tips for February 2024

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• Bareroot-Fruits Trees, Blueberries, Cane Fruit, Strawberries, Rhubarb.  
• Bulbs in bloom-Ranunculus, Anemone, Daffodils.  
• Early Blooming Trees-Flowering Magnolia, Lilac in bud.  
• Fragrance-Violet odorata, Daphne, Sweet Peas.  
• Frost Hardy Shrubs-Viburnum tinus 'Spring Bouquet', Camellia, Ceanothus, Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Harry Lauder's Walking Stick). 
• Veggies-Beets, Fava Beans, Carrots, Leek, Lettuce.
• 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. 
• Prune - Cannas to the ground, Berberis, Ninebark, Hydrangeas and Clematis (both when stem nodes have swelled), Finish Pruning Roses
• Pest Management - Spray fruit trees and roses, before they push new growth, with dormant oil.  Remember to spray the soil under and around the plants too. Bait for cutworms, snails, slugs, earwigs and Wild rabbits can be super destructive in the garden. Other than covering all your plants with mesh cages there's not much you can do to protect the plants rabbits want to devour or destroy. Here are a few plants that rabbits tend to leave alone: Geum, Buddleja, Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite', Berberis, Canna, Begonia, Trachelospermum, Helianthus, Rosemary, Dianthus, Alyssum, Acorus, Coleonema. Some plants, such as Phlomis fruticosa, may need protection with mesh while young but once big enough the rabbits may leave it alone. sowbugs.
• Divide and or Transplant - Cannas, Salvias that are spreaders and are cut to the ground in winter.
• Sow Seeds - February is time to sow vegetable and flower seeds indoors for planting out when danger of frost has past (approximately mid April in Sonoma County CA). Seeds of California Poppy, Flander's Poppy, Ornamental Poppy, Larkspur, Nigella and many others can still be scattered on top of soil outside. Keep the sown area clear of weeds and give them a shower if rains are infrequent.
• Spraying Roses - Be careful, if your roses have already started to sprout leaves, fungicides/insecticides can damage the young leaves. Best to use a strong spray of water to knock off aphids or use insecticidal soap spray. If your rose is diseased wait until the new leaves harden off (mature) to spray neem oil or other insecticides or fungicides.                   
• Irrigation - Before applying a new layer of mulch check and repair drip irrigation lines. Watch The Gardening Tutor Irrigation Tips Playlist.
• Weeds - The more weeds are pulled now, the more fun when planting later.

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ALL CONTENT by Mary Frost (no AI).