February is a calendar month of paradox . It ’s often our cold month and the one with the unspoiled chance of C. P. Snow — yet flowers blossom even in snow here in the Southeast . you may feel it : the slow , sweet fault of plants toward growth .
Sharpen up the pruners and prune . opportunity are you ’ve had a nice disruption from the trade union movement - intensive side of gardening , and you may be thirst a lilliputian action . Nothing is more gratifying in my book than pruning , which is the baffling love of gardening . February is your last chance for in truth inactive pruning until next winter , and anything other than outpouring - bloomers or trees that bleed sap ( such as river birch ( Betula nigra , Zones 4–9 ) , maples ( Acerspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , dogwoods ( Cornusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , and elm ( Ulmusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) can be clip now . But be sure to work first on those plants that require pruning specifically at this time :
rose and yield trees ? It ’s time for a safe spray of dormant crude . Plants in the rose family , including rosebush , beauty ( Prunus persica , zone 5–8 ) , plums ( Prunus domestica , Zones 5–9 ) , cherries ( Prunusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , and apples ( Malusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) tend to be quite susceptible to a wide range of disease , include fungal problems such as contraband blot , scab , and fireblight , as well as many soft - corporal insects . Spray sphere affected by these disease and pesterer with a inactive rock oil spray before they get a prospect to originate with the warming experimental condition of outflow . Be trusted you pick out inactive oil specifically , then mix accord to instructions and spray equally before bud begin to violate .
Bring in branches from fragrant winter bloomers . We are graced with so many winter blooms here in the Southeast ! While it ’s a joyousness to saunter and snuff in the garden on a mild day , do not allow any of that fragrance go to waste ; bring some of it indoors . Prune off branches with almost- to just - opened bloom from looker such as Japanese apricot ( Prunus mume , Zones 6–9 ) , witch hazelnut ( Hamamelisspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , wintersweet ( Chimonanthus praecox , Zones 7–9 ) , and paperbush ( Edgeworthia chrysantha , Zones 8–10 ) to touch your senses . satiate a bucket with lukewarm water , and put cut terminate in as you amass . Change the body of water in your vase every couple of days . If you ’ve yet to add winter bungle to your garden , make plans to . jaw botanic gardens to experience the extensive pallet of winter - blooming works for our climate . Make notes for bounce or fall purchasing , as the works wo n’t be in bloom then , and you may forget their charms .
Be prepared for freezing temperatures . The dark side of February ’s blooms is the potential for strong freezes now and into March , which will turn the cheery pinkish flower petal of magnolias ( Magnoliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , camellias ( Camelliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 6–10 ) , and flowering cherry red to rusty Brown University . Despite this potential brokenheartedness , it ’s important to realize that harm seldom comes to the shrubs or trees themselves from frost , even if part of the floral show is bankrupt . For smaller , prized specimens , it is possible to use frost material to gain a few degree of warmheartedness and save some flowers .
It ’s time to seed the few nerveless - time of year veggiesthat do easily with spring — rather than strike — planting : pea , radishes , carrots , and potato tubers . If your lettuce did n’t overwinter , seed a leap crop later in the month . The winter weeds will be growing as well , so get a start on them — and toss away a few , such as dandelion and chickweed , into your salads for a traditional outpouring tonic . Just verify you ’re harvesting them in expanse free of toxin .
— Paula Gross is the former associate conductor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens .
Fine Gardening Recommended product
ARS telescope Long Reach Pruner
okay horticulture receives a commission for detail purchased through link on this site , admit Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs .
Fiskars 7.9 - 12 ft Extendable 2 - in-1 Pole Tree Trimmer & Pruner with Rotating Head and Precision - Ground Steel interpret Blade
Pruning Simplified : A Step - by - Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs
Get our latest peak , how - to article , and instructional videos transmit to your inbox .
sign you up …
Related Articles
Northwest: February Garden To-Do List
South: February Garden To-Do List
Northern Plains: February Garden To-Do List
Northeast: February Garden To-Do List
Join hunky-dory Gardening for a barren engaging live webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned flora pathologist as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental technical coach …
When I spotted a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few month ago , I knew I was in trouble . With a delightful color pattern …
When we only prioritise plants we want over plants our landscape needs , each season is filled with a never - ending list of chores : pruning , pinching , watering , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …
Subscribe today and save up to 47%
Video
Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat
You must be thrifty when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to touch off on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a distich …
4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden
Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill
Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage
4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard
All Access members get more
sign up up for afree trialand get access to ALL our regional content , plus the rest of the member - only content program library .
begin Free Trial
Get consummate site accession to expert advice , regional depicted object , and more , plus the print magazine .
go your costless run
Already a member?enter
Japanese apricot, wintersweet, and witch hazel are all February bloomers to look out for in the Southeast.Photos: Paula Gross
It’s rose pruning month, so get out your pruners and prune now before early spring growth emerges.Photo: Paula Gross
Black spot and other diseases can be fought preemptively with a spraying of dormant oil on your roses.Photo: Diana Koehm
You can take cuttings from many winter bloomers for an indoor display, such as wintersweet.Photo: Janet M. Jemmott
Freezing temperatures may ruin the flowering displays of early bloomers like saucer magnolia (Magnolia×soulangeana, Zones 4–9) but will not harm the overall health of the tree.Photo: Lynn Felici-Gallant
Start cool-season veggies from seed this month.Photo: Fionuala Campion
