February Landscape, Lawn & Garden Tips for Zone 8

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Fertilization & Feeding Tips

• Apply pelletized lime at this time to Fescue, Bermuda, and Zoysia lawns. Lime is not a fertilizer, however, you may notice after applying it that your lawn greens up quickly. This is due to the correction of the soil pH, which can unlock and releases fertilzers that were applied in the past. If you have never applied lime to your lawn, a one-time application of 40 lbs standard pelletized lime per 500 -1,000 square feet of lawn area, or one 30 LB bag of Green 'N' Grow Lime per 5,000 square feet of lawn area, usually corrects soil pH to a level sufficient for these grasses to thrive and for fertilizers applied to activate. Make sure to use "pellitized" lime as it activates instantly. Soil pH correction usually lasts for several years. You can test your soil pH with a soil test kit purchased from your local nursery and garden center pr your local extension service may provide soil testing services.
• Feed established fescue lawns in mid- to late- February with a high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer. To determine how much fertilizer to apply measure your lawn area(s) for total square footage by multiplying the length x width of area(s) to be covered. SEE: How To Fertilize A Fescue Lawn
• Feed your garden soil. It's not time to plant the summer vegetable garden or spring flowerbeds yet however you can begin the process of feeding your summer plants by tilling in some compost to the soil of your garden beds now. If you don't make your own compost, most local nursery and garden centers carry products such as mushroom compost or composted cow manure that are great for refurbish the soil with the nutrients and bacteria plants need to grow.
• Fertilize roses after pruning in late February. In the South, you can hard-prune your roses in late February or early March. After pruning, fertilize with a well-balanced rose food. Alternatively, you may feed with an all-purpose natural or organic fertilizer.

Planting Tips & Reminders

• Seed fesue lawns in mid- to late- February. If you plan on seeding a fescue lawn or overseeding a fescue lawn this spring, the earlier you do so the better. There are two basic categories of fescue seed: "Turf-type", and KY-31 Fescue. We recommend using turf-type fescues or a mixture of the two. Keep in mind that Ky 31 is best suited for use in pastures and thrives best when cut at 6 inches or higher. It is best to broadcast fescue seed with a rotary-type walk behind or shoulder spreader. Feed newly seeded fescue lawns with a lawn starter fertilizer conatining plenty of phosphorus (middle number).
• Plan for new spring plantings. February is a good time to think about the strategy for new spring plantings. It's a good idea to create a map of your garden to determine where any new plants or gardens will be planted. You can use the Create A Garden System in Gardenality to pick out plants that will grow and thrive in your garden(s).
• Plant shrubs and trees. Contrary to popular belief, February and in fact the entire winter is a great time to plant hardy ornamental shrubs and trees in southern gardens. Winter planting of most dormant shrubs and trees is very safe and allows them to acclimate to their new home before receiving the huge benefit of an early-spring root flush.
• Plant perennials. Most perennial plants are dormant right now which means it's a perfect time to plant them. Too, this time of year many local nursery and garden centers are offering deeply discounted prices on leftover perennial plants from last year to make room for this seasons new arrivals.
• Transplant shrubs and trees. If you have some shrubs or small trees you'd like to relocate do so sometime during February, before the plants begin to emerge from dormancy. SEE: How to Relocate and Transplant a Shrub or Tree Note: Some plants, such as established conifers and junipers, simply do not respond well to relocation.

Pruning Tips & Reminders

With the exception of spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas, forysthia, quince, and other late-winter or earl-spring flowering shrubs, which should be pruned after they have bloomed, February is the best time to prune most other types of ornamental shrubs and trees.

Here's a list of links to articles that provide instructions for pruning:

Crape Myrtle
Knock Out Roses
Hybrid Tea Roses
Shrubs - General
Endless Summer Hydrangeas
Camellia
Junipers & Other Conifers
Holly Shrubs & Trees
Japanese Maples
Flowering Trees
Shade Trees
Fruit Trees: Apple & Pear, Fig, Peaches & Nectarines, Plum,
Palm Trees
Butterfly Bush
Clematis: NOTE: Not all types of Clematis should be pruned in February / Early Spring. Click here to find out when to prune Type 1, 2, & 3 Clematis.

CAUTION: DO NOT prune Lantana until the new growth begins to emerge in Spring.

• If your Forsythia, Jasmine and Quince branches are not yet blooming they can be cut now and brought into the house now for forcing.

Go to Page 2 to find more helpful tips and reminders...