February is for lovers...Bring some love to your garden!
- Alyce Peterson
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
February is a great time to show some love to your garden. It may still feel like winter, but in Lodi’s Zone 9 garden, this is one of the most important months of the year. What you do now sets the stage for a healthy and beautiful spring — whether you’re gardening at home or helping care for our public spaces.
Finish winter pruning. February is the final window to prune roses, deciduous fruit trees, and grapevines before new growth begins.
At Micke Grove Rose Garden or your rose garden, focus on shaping roses, removing dead wood, and opening the center of plants for air circulation.
Avoid pruning spring-flowering shrubs too heavily.
Build the soil naturally.Top-dress beds with compost or aged manure and use cardboard or newspapers under mulch to suppress weeds.
This method works especially well at Lodi Lake, where improving soil structure helps plants handle foot traffic, wind, and variable moisture.
Let winter rains carry nutrients into the soil — no digging needed.
Plant cool-season vegetables and annuals.Home gardeners can plant lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, carrots, beets, onions, and potatoes now.
At Lodi Lake, February is a good time to refresh seasonal plantings and replace winter annuals that didn’t thrive.
Watch for early pests and disease.Check roses and fruit trees for aphids and scale. Remove fallen leaves and diseased plant material promptly.
Early monitoring at Micke Grove or your rose garden helps protect roses before spring growth accelerates.
Divide and transplant perennials.February is ideal for dividing iris, daylilies, ornamental grasses, and other clumping plants.
Transplanting now gives roots time to establish before warmer weather arrives.
Refresh mulch and manage weeds.Pull weeds while the soil is soft and refresh mulch around plants — keeping it away from trunks.
Consistent mulching at Lodi Lake or your garden reduces maintenance and keeps beds looking tidy for visitors.
Prepare for spring displays. Sharpen tools, inspect irrigation systems, organize seeds, and plan upcoming plantings.
Now is the time to assess gaps in beds at both Lodi Lake and Micke Grove, or your garden and plan for strong spring color.
February may be quiet in the garden, but the work done now supports healthier plants, fewer weeds, and a more vibrant season ahead.
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