Don’t rush the garden!

You wake up one  morning and smell the fresh air, you can hear the birds chirping and feel the sun’s warm rays heating up the day. It’s always tempting to go out early when we get a couple of nice spring days, and plant frost tender seedlings. Fight the temptation to plant things when it is just a little too early for that plant. We have to keep in mind that our average last frost date in the Central Texas is mid-March. We still will get a few more freeze spells that can last for days so planting frost-tender plants is just not a good idea.

There are still many plants that can be planted now and enjoyed in the next couple of months. Consider all the cool-weather vegetables and herbs such as cilantro, chives, fennel, dill and many others. You still have time to plant one last crop of cool weather vegetables so get your greens, onion sets, & spinach planted. There’s still plenty to do! Until then keep busy by following the To Do List below and you can still keep gardening.

Monthly To Do List & Advice

Start tomato & pepper seeds indoors.

Plant strawberries.

Plant vegetable seeds: Beets, broccoli, carrot, chard, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, parsnip, peas, seed potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, shallot, turnips

Plant vegetable plants: Artichoke and asparagus crowns, Asian greens, broccoli, cabbage, chard, collards, lettuce, mustard greens, onion sets, & spinach.

Plant herbs: All hardy perennial herbs, such as chives, oregano, and thyme; and cool-season annuals or biennials such as dill, fennel, and parsley. Be sure dill and fennel are watered and protected before any freezes.

Plant Trees, Shrubs & ALL Hardy Perennials Plants:  EVERYTHING can be planted during our cool season.

Plant Fruit Trees & Shrubs: Bare-root and container grown fruit trees available.  Make sure to plant properly and to spray with dormant oil. This will control scale and other insect problems. You should also spray apple, peach, pear, and plum trees with copper when you see the buds begin to swell.

Prune Roses: Now would be great to cut back dead limbs or even shape your rose shrubs & climbers. Make sure you do all your pruning in mid February around Valentine’s Day.

Weed Control: Apply corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent in February. It won’t kill weeds already growing but it suppresses the root system of the seedlings. This natural pre-emergent is also a natural source of nitrogen. Follow the instructions on the bag so you don’t waste it.

Before a Freeze: Water plants well before a freeze. This will keep roots warmer and help avoid freeze damage. Avoid overwatering in the winter. Cover susceptible plants in advance of a freeze with frost cloth. Make sure to  secure the fabric well at the soil with landscape pins .

Keep Your Garden Happy: Now is when you should work in compost and organic plant food to garden beds before planting your warm weather vegetables and annual flowers. Roses can also benefit from a little greensand and Epson salt. It’s always best to add greensand or volcanite for natural mineral source. This can be done once a year for greensand and every 2- 4 years for the volcanite. Spray your garden & lawn on a weekly basis with liquid seaweed to help plants adapt to cooler weather.  Nature’s Guide Seaweed & Medina Plus are great options!