Gardening experts share February to-dos for a thriving spring yard

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — February can bring snowstorms or record-high temperatures like what Charlotte had this February. Regardless of the February pattern, this is a great month to get ahead on starting the yard and garden for spring.

The following information was gathered from the Extension of the Master Gardeners of Mecklenburg County.

For your lawn, do not use weed and feed products this month. However, do apply crabgrass preventer in late February. Now is also the perfect time to service your lawn equipment.

• This is a great time to soil test your lawn if you haven’t in the past 12 months. This will tell you if your soil is too acidic and if you need to adjust the PH for better-growing success.
• The first round of fertilizer can be put down for fescue grass and any other cool-season lawns.
• If you apply fire ant protection now, it will allow for it to be ready by the time they start returning. It has been so wet recently so active water in the ground will help it dissolve.

Make a plan: Assess what worked and what struggled last season and plan and map out what you want to do this year.

Start being aware that early spring bulbs could start growing soon.

When these are above one inch high, start removing mulch and fertilize those emerging bulbs. Doing this on a cloudy day is the most ideal.

This is also a good time to buy your fall flowering bulbs such as dahlias and lilies. Don’t plant them yet. The soil needs to be at least 55 degrees.

 If you have pansies they should be fed in late February. For your ornamentals, late February is pruning season for crape myrtles and summer-blooming shrubs. 

Believe it or not some vegetables can and should be planted now.

• Arugula can be planted up until late March.
• Asparagus crowns should be planted from early February to late March.
• Cabbage from Feb. 15 to April 1.
• Carrots from February until March 8.
• Kale can be planted but the window just opened up and you have until June 30 to plant it. 
• Lettuce‘s planting window is open until the end of April.
• Onion and green onion could have been planted in January but the window is still open through March.
• Parnips can now be planted but the window is wide open until early May.
• Spinach is safe to plant and you have as long as kale to plant it, which is until the end of June.
• Turnips planting window is February 20 to April 1.

As with fruit trees and vines, February is pruning month. Apply dormant oil to control pests but only while trees are fully dormant to prevent damage.