February Tips for California Gardens

The best times to plant in California are the Fall and the Spring. The nights are still cool but the ground is warming up, which make this a perfect time for new plants to establish themselves.

Get Blooming Plants for Color
Do you have some bare spots that need color? Any plants that are in bloom (or about to bloom) at the nursery will do well at this time of year. Almost anything that you wanted to plant in the Fall but didn’t have time can be planted now.

Last Chance to Prune
Dormant roses and fruit trees should be pruned right away since they will be budding soon. Pruning will maximize their budding potential.

Fertilize Citrus Trees
February and July are the best months to fertilize citrus trees.

Plant Strawberries
February is a great time to plant strawberries. Place them in raised beds with heavily amended soil to allow for good drainage; mulch with hay (I like alfalfa hay) or plastic, which keeps the fruit clean and avoids rot.

Apply Herbicides
To prevent crabgrass and other annual warm weather weeds in lawns, apply pre-emergent herbicides to prevent the bad seeds from germinating.

Good February Vegetables:
Start as Seeds: beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, endive, kayle, kohlrabi, leeks, head and leaf lettuce (and any other salad greens), onions, parsnip, pea, potato, radish, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip.  
Start as Small Plants: broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower (cole crops)