The FresYes Garden: February

The only limit to your garden is at the boundaries of your imagination.

~Thomas D. Church

Here in the great FresYes, we are fortunate to have our Spring begin as early as February. Now is the time to start planning and prepping your garden beds for new plantings. Visit your favorite garden center in February and March for the best selection of Spring arrivals. This is also your last chance to get your warm season veggies started from seed indoors. There is much to do this month, so be ready to get your hands dirty!

~PRUNING: Most danger of frost has passed. On average, the last frost date for Fresno is February 17, but they still can occur. I pruned my perennials earlier this year due to my upcoming move. All evergreen shrubs can be pruned, along with ornamental grasses and groundcovers such as lantana, verbena, jasmine, and vinca. Wait on pruning all Spring flowering shrubs until after they bloom. And, if you haven’t done so already, prune those roses!!

BEFORE: Salvia can be a woody mess if left unpruned. Prune all the way back to 10-12 inches high.

AFTER: Pruning is instant gratification! Your beds look neat and tidy and ready for Spring!

~FERTILIZE: Cool-season lawns can be fertilized later in the month. Apply fertilizer to the annuals and perennials planted in the Fall. Fertilize your acid-loving plants after they bloom and use a product formulated for acid-loving plants. I love Dr. Earth’s blend. Fertilize blooming ornamental deciduous trees 2-3 weeks after bloom.

These magnolia trees should be fertilized 2-3 weeks after they have bloomed. They should also be pruned within that time frame.

~PLANTING: Choose your Spring bloomers while in bloom to ensure the right varieties and colors. Camellias, azaleas, and hellebores can be selected and planted now. Hellebores, or Lenten Rose, will have been blooming for the last month or so. There are so many varieties to choose from, you will find it hard to pick just one! This month is also the time to choose magnolia trees. Look for healthy magnolias with evenly spaced branches.

~MAINTENANCE: Be sure to get those tools cleaned and sharpened. Sharp tools make cleaner cuts. You can always do this yourself, but I usually take my shears to Clovis Mower Services or Jensen & Pilegard.

~CITRUS: There is something especially satisfying about being able to stroll through the garden and harvest oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, or kumquats. To make it even easier for the homeowner, citrus trees are commonly grown as dwarf varieties, meaning they will not grow taller than 10-12 feet. This makes them very manageable to maintain in your home garden. I will definitely miss harvesting my Eureka lemons in my yard….which only means I will have to plant another in my new yard!

Eureka lemon tree 2009. One of the best crops!

So, there you have it. The short list of things to keep you busy and give you a reason to get out in the garden while enjoying temperatures in the 60’s. Please share if you are trying any new varieties or adding more of your tried and true Spring bloomers to your gardens. Share your photos to the FreYes Facebook page and tag me in it! Happy gardening!

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Tamera Shoemaker

Garden Blogger at FresYes.com

Forget the Beach! Tamera prefers to soak up the valley sun in the garden. Tamera's love for gardening began 13 years ago after moving into her first home with her husband, Dave. A Clovis native with deep roots in the valley, she has worked for several local nurseries guiding her clients to the right plant for the right spot. With an emphasis on hospitality, Tamera thrives on helping others create an inviting garden that gives joy to the gardener and their guests.
You can find Tamera working part-time at Evergreen Garden Center or trying to keep up with her 2 girls.

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