Thank Goodness That’s Over
February has been rough for some of us in Central Texas. In typical Texas fashion, when we thought it was warming up and getting close to Spring… BOOM! Here comes a nasty round of cold, freezing rain, and soupy weather. There was a big dip in the temps around the beginning of the month, then we started sweating as the days got up into the upper 70s and 80s. Jack Frost reminded us that he wasn’t too far around the corner, but he’s getting tired of tormenting us and soon he’ll move on to his next target.
March Outlook
We have just one more week of Febraury before we move on to Level 3 of 2025. and it’s going to be a good one. Again, we’re going to see temps climb up and the sweat will start to threatening us in the afternoons. However, I’m going to throw out my prediction here: One more minor cold snap. And I’m thinking it’ll be right around the Ides of March. So don’t go and toss your frost cloth too far away. Keep it available so you can throw it over some young starts if the temperature drops to the 30s or lower 40s. Remember, there’s some yummy crops that don’t handle those 40s too well.
What To Look Forward To
There’s so much to get ready this time of the year, I’m not going to be able to list everything without publishing a book. It’s a good time to plant out many of the spring annuals: cosmos, sunflowers, and morning glories. It is to late to throw out seed for wildflowers, but if you’re transplanting them then now is the time. You can plant trees right now before the heat gets too high up there. Hopefully, they will establish well enough that, if you miss a watering or two, the summer heat won’t zap them. Loads of herbs can be planted now. You might try Nasturtiums this year. they’re a great plant and every part, from root to flower, can be used in the kitchen! To name a few crops to look at right now would be your leaf greens, corn, squash, beans, and canteloupe.
Hopefully, after Valentine’s Day, you remembered to prune your rose bushes, but today is as a good of a time as any if you didn’t. Cut back all that frozen stuff on your perennials. Crepe Myrtles can be pruned, but please don’t crepe murder them. Simply remove the little sprouts and trim limbs to the trunk in order to shape them. Leave your red oaks and live oaks alone unless they are damaged. If you cut off a damaged limb, spray them afterward with a pruning spray, spray paint, or varnish.
Those ferns and clumping perennials can be divided or moved right now. But don’t forget to give everything a nice, little dose of a good fertilizer like Hasta-gro or Garrett Juice. And I could go on and on! There’s plenty of activities and tasks to look forward to get done in the next month! This is when we start ramping up to the growing season. There is quite a bit to do, but it’ll seem like nothing is getting accomplished sometimes. Be patient, be delicate, be well!
Let me know about all the good stuff you’re starting to grow for the 2025 season down below in the comments, and remember gardening is the original form of legalized gambling! So don’t fret too much and get out and get your hands in the dirts!