PLANTING GUIDE

February can be a volatile month in Orange County gardens. It may rain all month, freeze at night or the weather could be sunny and mild. Despite not knowing what to expect, this is the month to plant a wide variety of plants.

Make sure to wait four to seven days after heavy rain before planting. The soil should be moist, but never soggy. If you are unable to garden because of wet weather, store bare-root plants in a cool location and keep the root balls moist.

Now is also the perfect time to select and order seed for your spring and summer crops. Many mail-order companies carry a variety of new and unusual vegetable and flower seed, and selection is excellent at this time of year. Buying now ensures that you’ll have the seed handy next month when you can begin planting many warm-weather crops.

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FLOWERS FROM SEED OR BEDDING PLANTS

Alyssum

Bachelor’s button

Begonia

Bromeliad

Calendula

California poppy

Candytuft

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Cineraria

Columbine

Cyclamen

Delphinium

English primrose

Forget-me-not

Foxglove

Fuchsia

Geranium

Iceland poppy

Impatiens

Kalanchoe

Flowering kale

Larkspur

Lupine

Nasturtium

Nemesia

Pansy

Salvia

Schizanthus

Snapdragon

Statice

Stock

Sweet pea

Viola

Wildflowers

BULBS/TUBERS

Tuberous begonia

Crocosmia

Dahlia

Dwarf canna

Gladiolus

Lily

Ranunculus

BARE-ROOT

Artichoke

Asparagus

Berries

Flowering trees

Fruiting trees

Maui onion

Shade trees

Rose

Rhubarb

Strawberry

VEGETABLES & HERBS FROM SEED OR BEDDING PLANTS

Arugula

Beet

Bok choy

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Cilantro

Collards

Cress

Dill

Endive

Horseradish

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leek

Lettuce

Mint

Mustard greens

Onion

Parsley

Parsnip

Pea

Potato

Radish

Rutabaga

Salsify

Shallot

Spinach

Swiss chard

Turnip