February in your Brevard yard: Here's what to do this month | Sally Scalera
Winter feels like it has been here for quite a while, and there could still be more cold fronts in our future.
At least the days are slowly getting longer, which is wonderful. The weather is usually nice for working outside this month, so check out the following suggestions for things to do.
Plan ahead. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Seminar will be Saturday, March 23, at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus St. The event begins at 9 a.m., and the four presentations planned are Indian River Lagoon Update, Love Your Soil – Love the IRL, What You Plant Matters and Nurturing Native Landscapes: Tips & Tricks. Door prizes will then be raffled off at the. There will also be vendors at the event, so feel free to come early to shop or check out the vendors and shop during the break or after the seminar. There will also be a free Rain Barrel Workshop at the conclusion of the seminar. For more information and to sign up for a free ticket to the seminar, visit 2024FFLSeminar.eventbrite.com.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping class series is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 5, and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon for seven consecutive Tuesdays at the UF/IFAS Extension Office3695 Lake Drive Cocoa. Two topics will be covered during each class. The cost of the series is $90. Check out the Eventbrite page at 2024fflclassseries.eventbrite.com to see all the topics to be covered. Both in-person and Zoom tickets are available. If you are new to gardening in Florida or would like to have better results from your gardening efforts, this class is for you.
Time to prune roses. Mid-month is a good time to prune hybrid rose bushes. Choose four to five main canes to form the new shrub and prune off the others. Remove the top third of the main canes and remove any dead, damaged or twiggy growth back to the main cane. Flowers should be produced eight to nine weeks after pruning. If you’re growing Old Garden Roses like Chinas, Teas, Bourbons or Damasks, they can also be lightly pruned as needed. Roses will also benefit from the establishment of the soil food web around their root systems.
Water the lawn once a week. If your lawn is yellowish from the short days, continue to water it (no more than once a week) and celebrate the fact that you won’t need to mow very often this month. Don’t expect the grass to green up or try to make it do so until we get longer days and warmer temperatures.
Prep the vegetable garden. Check your vegetable garden for diseased, insect-infested, old, or non-producing plants and cut them off at the soil line. That will allow the root system to remain in the ground (for the soil microbes to consume) and won’t disturb the soil.
Vegetables to plant. Vegetables that can be planted in February include arugula, beans (bush, pole, lima), beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collard, cucumber, eggplant, endive/escarole, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, okra, bunching onions (green and shallots), peas (snow and English), potatoes (Irish and sweet), radish, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard, tomato, turnip and watermelon. You can also plant peppers, but a word of caution: When growing both sweet and hot peppers, plant them far apart, like on either side of the house, so their flavors stay true and don’t intermingle.
When planting your vegetables in the garden or in containers, be sure to inoculate the planting holes or drench the soil with microbial products. Peas and beans should be inoculated with the correct nitrogen-fixing bacteria. For more information on how to get the soil food web established in your yard, email the UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardeners at brevard-mg1@ifas.ufl.edu.
Vegetables to sow. Vegetable seeds that can be sown in February for planting in March include arugula, beans, cabbage, cantaloupe, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, kohlrabi, okra, pepper, Southern peas, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard and watermelon.
Herbs for February. Some of the herbs that can be planted now include basil, oregano, chives (both onion and garlic), parsley, sweet marjoram, mint, sage, thyme, dill and fennel. Another word of caution: Plant dill and fennel far from one another otherwise, their flavors could mingle.
Bulbs to plant now. Bulbs that can be planted this month include agapanthus, amaryllis, caladium, canna, crinum lily, crocosmia, dahlia, hurricane lily (Lycoris spp.), rain lily and spider lily.
Remember: Inoculate the planting holes for herbs and bulbs with beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae also.
Visit the Farmers Market. Check out the vendors at the Brevard County Farmers Market from 3-6 p.m. every Thursday at the Wickham Park Pavilion.
Vendors include:
A & D Hives. Natural honey, pollen, beeswax and other beehive-related products.
Capt'n Tony's Pirate Salsa. Fresh salsas, candied jalapenos and sweet relish.
Deep Roots Meat. (Second Thursday only) Florida-grown, grass-fed Angus beef straight from the farm.
Detox Energy Greens. Organic and vegan powder blends and teas made of herbs, greens and superfoods.
E.T Produce. A variety of Fresh from Florida produce.
Friends Product. Freshly made hummus, garlic spreads, and pita chips. Vegan, organic and Halal-friendly options.
From Kristin's Kitchen. Delicious homemade jams in an assortment of flavors.
Grandma Loucks Apple Butter. Delicious homemade apple butter, apple jellies, barbeque sauce and barbecue rub.
I Love You Peanut. A wide variety of delicious homemade nut butter.
Jerk on Jerkies. Gourmet jerky snacks made with quality meat and no preservatives or curing agents.
Mountain Laurel Handcrafts. Locally roasted organic coffees, including flavored coffees with whole bean, ground, by the cup or cold.
My Green Thumb Plant Shop. Fresh herbs, edible plants and pollinators for bees and butterflies.
Nonna D's Olive Pit. Delicious olives, olive oils, and flavored vinegar.
Pasta Nostra. Freshly made pasta, pasta sauces, cheeses, and other delicious Italian fares.
Two Swans Bakery. All vegan cakes, muffins, bread, and more.
Vegan Dessert Delights. Delicious vegan desserts, including nut butter cups, truffles, and more.
Vital Silver. Homemade soaps and special "colloidal silver" items for humans, babies and pets.
The Wake and Bake Bread Company. Fresh artisan-style bread loaves, mini loaves and more.
Zesty Fox Farms. Locally grown microgreens, shoots, wheatgrass and microgreens growing kits.
Stay up to date by checking out the Facebook page at facebook.com/brevardcountyfarmersmarket.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at sasc@ufl.edu.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: What to do in your Florida yard in February
