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February Activities
TREES AND SHRUBS:
~Fruit
trees can be especially susceptible to scale (pests that look like bumps on
the stem, leaf or fruit) and mites (brown or reddish spider looking insects)
so douse them with a dormant oil spray according to label directions before
the new leaves begin to emerge. Dormant oil might also be necessary on some
shrubs.
~Roses can be pruned if needed and bare root roses
planted for Valentine’s Day; but wait awhile before applying fertilizers.
~Transplanting
shrubs to a better location can still be done. Be sure to get as many roots
as possible and water well afterwards.
~Feed
lime to hydrangeas now for pink flowers in spring. If blue is your choice,
aluminum sulfate can be watered into surrounding soil.
PERENNIALS:
~Ferns
will respond well to dividing and transplanting this month. Side dress with
bone meal.
~Bulbs can
be planted, or separated and transplanted with a little bone meal for great
blooms within a few months. Some of the favorites in Houston include
agapanthus, amaryllis, calla, canna, crinum, dahlia, daylily, gladiolus,
iris, kniphofia (torch lily), liriope, mondo grass, oxalis, society garlic,
and zephyranthes (rain lily).
ANNUALS/VEGETABLES:
~Winter
gardens might include beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celery, collards,
lettuce, mustard, onion, parsley, English or Oriental peas, potato, spinach
and many more. A quick call to the County Extension Service will get you a
list of best varieties for our area.
~Reseeding
annuals can be sown directly into wet ground this month, including
alyssum, cleome, cornflower, cosmos, four- o’clock, globe amaranth, petunia,
snapdragon, and flowering tobacco. They might not come back after this
year, but are well worth the effort even for one season.
~Too late
(almost) to get out the pansies and other winter annuals for Houston. If
you missed the cool season window this year, pencil in an October weekend
now to plant your winter favorites and use this month to seed for
spring-fall.
GENERAL:
~The pecan
tree has historically been our indicator of warm weather. Old Houstonians
(and some not so old!) will tell you that when the pecan trees begin to bud,
cold weather has moved north till next year. The last frost on average is
February 5th, but listen to the news for reports of cold weather
headed our way and cover or bring inside tender tropicals --- or water well,
mulch over and hope for the best.
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