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The Garden: February 2017
FEBRUARY:
If you’ve lived here very long, you may have noticed that Texas has unpredictable weather. On average the first fall freeze is December 5th last freeze in Austin is around February 24th. The best way to protect your garden is by keeping up with the weather, investing in landscape blankets and winterization, rain harvesting equipment and update the irrigation system.
PRUNING
The best time for pruning is during winter before new spring growth begins; the worst time is in the spring after the new growth. Minor pruning, less than 20% of the plant, can be done year round. When pruning, maintain the shape of the tree or shrub. Selective and directional pruning guides the new plant growth into the desired shape. Keep shearing of hedges and shrubs to a minimum, shearing disrupts the natural shape of the plant. Pruning results in wounds, don’t make any cuts that are unnecessary.
PLANTING
Sow Seeds Vegetables: Beets, Carrots, Endive, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Parsnip, Peas, Radish, Rutabaga, Spinach, Turnips. Start Tomatoes and Peppers indoors.Herbs: Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Echinacea, Parsley.
Flowers: Coreopsis, Cosmos, Nasturtium, Sweet Peas. Plant Vegetables: Artichokes, Asparagus, Asian Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Chard, Collards, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Onion Sets, Seed Potatoes, Shallot Bulbs, Spinach.
Fruit: Blackberries, Dewberries, Grapes, Figs, Pears, Persimmon, Pomegranate, Strawberries.
Herbs: Calendula, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Echinacea, Fennel, Feverfew, Lavender, Pansies, Parsley, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Sorrel, Thyme.
Annuals: African Daisy, Alyssum, Balloon Flower, Delphinium, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, English Daisy, Larkspur, Lobelia, Nemesia, Petunias, Poppies, Snapdragons, Stock.
Perennials: Black Foot Daisy, Four Nerve Daisy, Hymenoxys, Ruellia, Salvia greggii, Skeleton Leaf Golden Eye, Turk’s Cap, Yarrow, Zexmenia.
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