Follow these general tips for the month of February to prevent pest in the garden and landscape. To view more tips specific to your region, visit the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checkliston the UC IPM website.
- Protect sensitive plants from freezing and frost damage.
- Check grapes for pests like powdery mildew, Eutypa dieback, Phomopsis cane and leaf spot, and others.
- Paint or varnish and seal wood to deter carpenter bees. If intolerable, treat tunnels during early spring.
- Prevent mosquitoes by eliminating standing water in gutters, drain pipes, flowerpots, etc. Place Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis in birdbaths and ponds to selectively kill mosquito larvae.
- Apply a preventive spray for peach leaf curl once or more during late fall through bud break in spring if leaf curl has been a problem on nectarine or peach.
- Prune evergreen, summer-flowering shrubs.
- Manage weeds using nonchemical methods such as cultivation, handweeding, or mowing. Control young weeds as soon as they pop up.
- Whitewash tree trunks to deter borers and prevent sunburn. Apply to young trees or older bark on susceptible trees newly exposed to sunlight.
- Apply organic mulches where thin or soil is bare under trees and shrubs to prevent weeds and regulate soil moisture and temperature. Keep mulch back from trunks and at a depth of 2 to 4 inches, depending on the mulch type.
Don't see your county on the checklist or want to provide feedback? Let us know!
- Author: Skylar Peters
Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than to show your garden a little love? February means it is time to start planning and preparing your spring and summer garden. These gardening tips will help you get your garden ready for the spring growing season:
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Prune your roses. If you haven't already, cut back a third to half of their total height. Additionally, remove dead parts including old leaves on the bush and ground to improve overall plant health. Watch this video for more detail on how to prune roses.
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Fertilize your citrus trees. Most mature citrus require regular fertilization with nitrogen. Typically, most other nutrients are available in sufficient amounts in the soil. Nitrogen should be applied in January or February just prior to bloom. The second application can be applied in May and perhaps a third in June. Information about fertilizing citrus can be found on the UC Integrated Pest Management website.
Suggested application rates of nitrogen
Year one (1) | 1 tablespoon nitrogen fertilizer 3 times per year, per tree. |
Year two (2) | 0.25 lb. actual nitrogen per tree |
Year three (3) | 0.50 lb. actual nitrogen per tree |
Year four (4) | 0.75 lb. actual nitrogen per tree |
Year five (5+) | 1 lb. actual nitrogen each year |
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Plant these trees, shrubs, and perennials.
• Bare root deciduous shrubs and trees
• Roses, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, asparagus, chives, onions, green onions.
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Plant cool-season crops like ... lettuce, spinach, and broccoli. These vegetables thrive in cooler temperatures and can be planted directly in the ground or started indoors for transplanting later.
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Start seeds indoors. Get a head start on your vegetable garden and consider starting seeds indoors in February. This will give your plants a jump start on the growing season and allow you to get a head start on your harvest. Here are a few seeds you can start now:
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Peas
• Peppers
• Sweet peas
• Tomatoes
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Protect your garden from snails and slugs. As the month progresses, you may start to see more snails in your garden. Make sure to remove them by hand-picking, baiting, or putting up barriers to keep snails and slugs out of your garden. Learn about snails and slug management from UC IPM.
February is a great time for gardeners in California to plan, prepare, and get an early start growing their gardens for the upcoming season. From planting cool-season vegetables to starting seeds indoors, to protecting your garden from pests, there are many ways to get a head start on your garden. So make the most of this month and show your love for your garden and your special someone on Valentine's Day.
Ask your local UC Master Gardener Program
Have a gardening question? UC Master Gardener volunteers are available to help. Click here to Find a Program and connect with your local UC Master Gardener Program. You will be redirected to your local county website and contact information. UC Master Gardener volunteers are available to help answer questions for FREE. Happy gardening!
- Author: Elaine Lander
February is a month where we celebrate and acknowledge many things: Black History Month, Valentine's Day, Groundhog Day, President's Day, and others. But did you know February is also National Pesticide Safety Education Month? While pesticide safety is important year round, we at UC IPM are taking time to reinforce this topic to help those who use pesticides stay safe.
Pesticides used in gardens, landscapes, and around the home include store bought products, aerosol bug sprays, weed killers (herbicides), concentrated or ready-to-use products, and even home-made mixtures used for killing pests.
Basic Pesticide Safety
- Read the label before purchasing a pesticide to make sure you know how to use it correctly.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling pesticides.
- Store pesticides in a secure spot, away from food, children, and pets. Locked cabinets or higher shelves are recommended.
- Dispose of pesticides properly.
Check out these blog posts on what is a pesticide, what pesticide terms mean, reading pesticide labels, what to wear when using pesticides, and preventing pesticide poisoning for more information.
In the time of coronavirus, remember that disinfectants are pesticides too so be sure to use disinfectants and sanitizers safely.
For more about using pesticides in homes and landscapes, please visit our website where you can learn about different active ingredients, less toxic insecticides, and pesticides and water quality.
So even though February is the shortest month of the year, there is much to recognize and celebrate, including staying safe and healthy.
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