• Home
  • About Me
  • Plant Questions & Answers
  • Get Yard Help
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Contact

Yard Doc Carol

February is Gardening Season

February 8, 2021 By Carol Cloud Bailey Leave a Comment

8 Feb
February Newsletter

Even though the weather has been changeable, one day hot and dry, the next cold and blustery, it’s still gardening season in Florida. Some plants and annual flowers may be suffering from unpredictable weather. One tactic to make annuals last and bloom a little longer is to remove old flowers to encourage more growth and new blooms. The practice is called “deadheading” and is the process of removing old, spent flowers.

Deadheading is a chore that never ends and a good one to work in whenever the time is available. The how of deadheading is simple, clip the old flowers close to the next leaf. Use clippers, sharp scissors, even fingernails work. remove the blooms and add them to the compost pile. Get the children involved, deadheading is a good way to get them involved with gardening. 

As we approach the end of the gardening season, leave a few old flowers to form seed and/or fruit to feed wildlife. Seed-eating birds are fond of daisy seeds like sunflowers.

For years I offered advice and guidance to gardeners and green industry through real-time education and newspaper/online columns. It’s time to change things up a bit.  Check it out! I’m very excited about the opportunity for you to book virtual consults for socially-distanced help.

This monthly newsletter, which will endeavor to offer tips and advice on seasonal changes and tasks, should be another resource to help you get growing. We will take a look occasionally at new plants and new pests that come our way. New year, new yard! Let’s go!

Book a Virtual Visit

Tips: Florida Gardening in February

Bougainvilleas are in full bloom right now. Admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville, the first Frenchman to cross the Pacific surely would be pleased to see the popularity of the plant he and the European botanist traveling with him discovered in Rio de Janeiro in 1760. The native locations give us a hint on the proper place and conditions to grow beautiful Bougainvillea.

The secret to great Bougs is in the water and light. This tropical vine is very drought tolerant and requires additional water only during very droughty conditions. They prefer a hot, sunny location and be careful about pruning. Arguably, the most common culprit of no blooms on Bougainvillea is continual shearing or pruning; constant pruning removes the flowers before they emerge and show off.

Give Flowers – Everyone loves to get flowers anytime not just Valentine’s Day. Try something unusual, something which will bloom year after year, tropical bulbs. Good choices for southern gardeners include Aztec Lily, Amazon Lily, Blood Lily, Gloriosa, Rain Lily, Tritonia, Tuberose, and Watsonia.  A friend sent me an Amaryllis bulb for the holidays, it brought a big smile to my face! 

Here are a few interesting ones to consider:

  • African Lily or Agapanthus africanus. Agapanthus will grow throughout Florida, however, in north Florida, a little protection from the cold may be necessary. Agapanthus blooms more freely when crowded, plant between Oct-Feb. Expect the blue or white flowers during the summer & early autumn. 
  • Caladium or Caladium X hortulanum. We grow caladiums for their beautiful leaves. Choose a partial shade location for the traditional heart-shaped leaf types and a sunny spot for the strap-leaf varieties. Typically, caladiums are planted from Feb-May, we enjoy the show through the fall. Ninety percent of the world’s caladiums are grown in Lake Placid, Florida. 
  • Kaffir Lily or Clivia minata. Plant Clivia bulbs any time of year just below the soil surface, 18-24 inches apart. Plant in partial shade for orange to scarlet flowers in the spring.  Be sure any location is well-drained because Clivia will not tolerate soggy or wet soil.

Roses – Prune Florida roses throughout the year. Whenever working the roses, deadhead (remove spent blooms) and look for and remove canes exhibiting dieback. Hybrid teas roses may benefit from an inspection and pruning during February – March when the weather is cool. Avoid all but essential pruning during the summer.  There is no dormant season for roses in Central and South Florida and the general rules for pruning shrubs apply, never remove more than 1/3 of the growth at any one time. 

Tools – Scissors can be an invaluable gardener’s tool. I keep a good pair of shears handy for deadheading annuals, cutting roses for my sweetie, harvesting greens and other young veggies, and removing a yellow leaf or two. Like many tools, a sharp edge makes the work easier, sharpened shears regularly.

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” –  Kahlil Gibran

Be well. Garden with abandon, it’s good for you, body and soul. Plant an extra row when gardening and donate the surplus to the local food pantry, homeless kitchen, or women’s shelter when you harvest.

Carol Bailey

Until next time….

View In MailChimp

Filed Under: Newsletter Archives Tagged With: Feb Fla Gardens, Landscape Tips

Previous Post: « Grow Bok Choy, it’s easy and you will love it!
Next Post: Where have all the Gerbera flowers gone? »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Follow me!

Recent Posts

  • Yummy turkey is all in the wood and brine
  • Considerations About Pruning Southern Magnolia
  • Work in the garden in the heat; you’re kidding.
  • Silent Firecrackers for the Garden and Others in July
  • Resurrection Fern Thrives When It Rains

Recent Comments

  • Carol Cloud Bailey on Screw pines are worth the mess
  • Sue on Screw pines are worth the mess
  • Carol Cloud Bailey on Invasive Curly-tailed Lizards in Florida
  • victoria on Invasive Curly-tailed Lizards in Florida
  • John on Plant and prune trees right for best results during hurricane season

Monthly Gardening Tips & Garden Articles Archives

Monthly Newsletter – Florida Landscaping Tips

Subscribe

* indicates required

Categories

  • Newsletter Archives (7)
  • Plant Questions & Answers (100)
  • Uncategorized (6)

Monthly Newsletter – Florida Landscaping Tips

Subscribe

* indicates required

Connect With Me!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Customer Service

  • Online Plant Help

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Contact

Learn More

  • Newsletter Archive
  • Plant Questions & Answers

Copyright © 2025 · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT