February Gardening Tips for the desert Southwest

February Gardening Tips for the desert Southwest. This month is actually a good time to get your garden started here in the southwest. Here’s a list of suggested tasks for February. We have cold nights and sometimes very warm days during February.

This may tempt you to plant your items that probably should not be planted. However, if you do here are some tips to help you decide. Tomato plants are often the veggies planted at this time.

If you want to plant tomatoes, you may want to use a product called “Wall-o-waters” These are see-thru plastic columns that are filled with water and placed around your tomato plant. These are designed to help prevent your plants from freezing even in temps as low as 15 degrees f. Here are more vegetable gardening tips.

Ask your local nursery for such a product. Finish off your pruning jobs you may have started in January. The debate is still ongoing as to use pruning sealer or not. I recommend using a pruning sealer if you see evidence of insects or disease in the immediate area that you are pruning.

Elmers Glue as a pruning sealant?

If you notice no insect or disease activity, then nature will usually heal pruned areas. Prune roses before February 14th, as a rule. The Rose Society recommends using Elmers Glue as an effective pruning sealant! Yes, it does work.

Remember when pruning the best rule of thumb is to have a reason for every cut you make. You may fertilize your fescue, rye, or bluegrass lawns (cool-season grasses) at this time of year. Use 16-8-8 containing zinc, sulfur, and iron, if it has been more than 6 weeks since you have last fertilized.

Grass & Sod maintenance tips. You may plant fruit trees, shade trees, shrubs, and roses now. Most nurseries will have a large selection of roses in late January through mid-March. Make sure to visit early so that you will have a good selection to choose from.

Rose Gardening Tips Planting early in the season has several advantages. There is less stress on plants. Most plants need less watering at this time of year due to the low temperatures.

Don’t forget Guzman’s Garden Centers carries raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Most locally owned Nurseries should have these plants in early to mid-February…if not ask for them. Although these might be more of a challenge, the fruits they produce are well worth the effort.

To be successful with these, berries it is best to prepare the soil with plenty of peat moss and Back to Earth Compost. Use soil acidifying products such as chelated iron or Ironite, to help prevent chlorosis (yellowing of leaves).

February Gardening Tips — Image by skeeze from Pixabay

If you can find a space with light shade during the hottest time of day, that would be ideal. The roots begin to grow rapidly because of the warm soil temperature. Here at the Color Your World Nurseries we often see the fruit ripen even while still in the pot. Of course, the fruit doesn’t last too long here because we have employees with huge appetites. Article by: Gary Guzman all rights reserved.