Gardening Tips for February
1. Trees and shrubs can still be transplanted. When moving these plants, use root stimulator.
2. Continue to prune trees. It is not time to prune hybrid tea roses.
3. Onions, leeks and garden peas can be planted in late February.
4. Bare root roses can be planted this month. Consider planting roses that are designated Earthkind. For a complete list go to Aggie horticulture.com
5. Cool season weeds are growing. Continue to weed.
6. Weed eat or mow ground covers such as vinca, liriope and mondograss. Do not mow English ivies.
7. Scalping the lawn is a common practice. This is not recommended. Scalping allows for more water evaporation and exposes more weed seed to the sunlight.
8. Instead of scalping, consider aerating or removing thatch. Aerating the lawn is good for soil that is compacted. Removing thatch accumulation that is greater than ½ an inch will improve water absorption. Thatch is the accumulation of organic material between the soil and the green leaves. Thatch is the result of over fertilization. Tools can be purchased or rented to either aerate or remove thatch.
Rhonda has been a gardener for most of her life. As a child, she learned many things about gardening from her parents and grandparents. She became a Certified Master Gardener with the Texas Cooperative Extension Service in 2001 and has been a regular guest on Town Talk for 3 years. She is a Texas native and has lived in the Brownfield area with her husband and two sons for 27 years.
