Gardening in February in Eastern North Carolina is all about preparing for spring while taking advantage of the mild winter weather. Here are some general gardening tips for this time of year:
General Garden Maintenance
✅ Clean Up Garden Beds – Remove dead plants, leaves, and debris to prevent pests and diseases.
✅ Prepare Soil – Add compost or organic matter to enrich the soil for spring planting. Consider getting a soil test to determine pH and nutrient levels.
✅ Mulch – Refresh mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature, especially around perennials and shrubs.
Vegetable Garden
🥦 Plant Cool-Season Crops – Direct seed or transplant cool-season vegetables like lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, radishes, peas, onions, and cabbage.
🌱 Start Seeds Indoors – Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors for a jumpstart on spring planting.
🚫 Watch for Frost – Be prepared to cover tender plants if a late frost occurs.
Flower Garden
🌷 Plant Bulbs & Perennials – Now is the time to plant summer-blooming bulbs (like lilies and gladiolus).
✂ Prune Shrubs & Roses – Trim back dead or damaged branches on roses, hydrangeas, and crepe myrtles (but avoid pruning early bloomers like azaleas and camellias until after they flower).
🌸 Start Annual Flowers Indoors – Start seeds for marigolds, zinnias, and petunias indoors for transplanting later.
Lawn Care
🌿 Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicides – Prevent spring weeds like crabgrass by applying a pre-emergent herbicide by mid-to-late February.
🚜 Limit Heavy Traffic – Avoid walking on frozen or waterlogged lawns to prevent soil compaction.
Fruit Trees & Berries
🍎 Prune Fruit Trees – Now is the time to prune apples, pears, and peaches before new growth starts.
🍓 Plant Strawberries & Cane Berries – February is a great time to plant strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
🛡 Spray Dormant Oil – Apply horticultural oil to fruit trees to control overwintering pests.
Other Tips
🌧 Monitor Watering Needs – Water newly planted trees and shrubs if rainfall is low.
🌿 Check for Pests & Diseases – Inspect plants for early signs of issues.
📅 Plan Your Spring Garden – Order seeds and make a planting schedule for the upcoming months.
