Fog covered this part of Northeast Texas on Groundhog Day last week. That means that if we had groundhogs, which we don’t, they wouldn’t have seen their shadows. They would have poked their noses out, turned around and headed back into a safe, snug home.
Not only is February the shortest month of the year, it is packed full of chores Southern gardeners must do. The rule of thumb around here is that you need to prune rose bushes, but not climbers, on Valentines Day. I think the specific date is to help everyone remember to get ready for spring. After all, we connect Valentines with red roses, even though most roses are dormant this time of the year.
Then there’s the garden. Not only do we need to cut back the roses, we must plant onions. That means that gardens should have been plowed and raked no later than this very day. Be sure to add peat moss, compost, well-rotted manure, finely ground mulch.
There are generally 2-3 weeks window for planting. Believe me, our ancestors knew those dates. And they made good gardens. February is great for planting cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and Irish potatoes. Later in the month and even into March plant leaf lettuces, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, turnips and beets.
Consider putting your garden close to the house so you can check it daily. Locate your garden in a spot that gets sunshine eight to ten hours per day. Water drainage is also important. The plants don’t need to drown but do need water before wilting. Stick your index finger into the soil near a few plants. If you can feel moist soil at the first or second knuckle, you’re ok. Otherwise drag out the drip hose and give those guys a sip of water.
One of the joys of gardening is walking out the back door, pull an onion or two, go back in and have fresh onions for salad. It takes a little time, but what a treat to have such fresh vegetables.