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Here's what to do in your Brevard yard and garden in February | Sally Scalera

Sally Scalera
For FLORIDA TODAY

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. 

Florida-Friendly Landscaping, the seminar. The free Florida-Friendly Landscaping Seminar will be Saturday, March 25, at the Eau Gallie Convention Center. The event begins at 9 a.m., and the four presentations planned are “Indian River Lagoon Update;” “Keystone Species, Soil and a Touch of Compost;” “Bats in my Florida Backyard” and “Go Native! Solutions for Erosion and Runoff.”

Door prizes will be raffled off to those still in attendance after the final presentation. There will also be vendors at the event so feel free to come early to check out the vendors and shop or check out the vendors and shop during the break, or after the seminar. To sign up for a free ticket, follow this link fflseminar2023.eventbrite.com.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping, the series. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping class series is scheduled to begin Tuesday, April 5, and will continue the next seven consecutive Tuesdays. Classes meet from 9 a.m. to noon. Two topics will be covered during each class, and the cost of the series is $75.  Check out the Eventbrite page at 2023fflclassseries.eventbrite.com to see all the topics that will be covered.  If you are new to gardening in Florida, or you would like to have better results from your gardening efforts, this class is for you.

Trim back your 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.

February is the perfect time in Central Florida to prune heirloom roses.

Water your 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. 

How healthy are your vegetables? 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.

More:These winter flowers can take the cold in Central Florida | Sally Scalera

More:Now's the time to prune your crape myrtles, but don't commit crape murder | Sally Scalera

More:Now's the time to prune your crape myrtles, but don't commit crape murder | Sally Scalera

Vegetables to plant this month. Vegetables that can be planted in February include arugula, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, cucumbers, eggplants, endive/escarole, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, okra, bunching onions (green and shallots), peas, peppers, potatoes (Irish and sweet), radishes, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip and watermelon.

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 and/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!

Seeds to sow. Vegetable seeds that can be sown in February for planting in March include arugula, bean, cabbage, cantaloupe, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, kohlrabi, okra, pepper, Southern peas, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard and watermelon.

Herbs to plant now. Some of the herbs that can be planted in February include basil, oregano, chives (both onion and garlic), dill, fennel, parsley, sweet marjoram, mint, sage and thyme. Another word of caution: Plant dill and fennel far from one another. Otherwise, their flavors could mingle.

Bulbs to plant. 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. 

Like vegetable plants, herbs and bulbs can benefit from inoculating the planting holes with beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae.

Visit a farmers market. Check out the vendors, and their products, available at the Brevard County Farmers Market from 3-6 p.m. every Thursday at the Wickham Park Pavilion this month:

  • A & D Hives – Natural honey, pollen, beeswax and other beehive-related products, all from their hives.
  • Capt'n Tony's Pirate Salsa – Amazing, fresh salsas, candied jalapenos and sweet relish.
  • Dana’s Cupcakes & More – Homemade cupcakes, candies, pies and more.
  • Deep Roots Meat (second Thursday of the month 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 – A wide variety of freshly made hummus, garlic spreads and pita bread.
  • From Kristin's Kitchen – Delicious homemade jams in an assortment of flavors.
  • Grandma Loucks Apple Butter – Delicious homemade apple butters, apple jellies and barbecue sauce.
  • I Love You Peanut – A wide variety of homemade nut butters
  • Mountain Laurel Handcrafts – Locally roasted organic coffees, including flavored coffees, whole beans, ground beans, by the cup or cold.
  • My Green Thumb Plant Shop – Fresh herbs, edible plants and pollinators for bees and butterflies.
  • Nana's Kitchen – Homemade cake bites, sandwich cookies and vanilla and fruit extracts.
  • Nonna D's Olive Pit & Speedy Weenie – Delicious olives, olive oils and flavored vinegars.
  • Our Ancestors’ Foods – Local farm-raised pork and pork products.
  • Pueo Farms – Locally grown produce, from root veggies to greens, fresh from the farm.
  • The Big Dream Factory – 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.
  • Zesty Fox Farms – Locally grown microgreens, shoots and 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 sasc@ufl.edu.