Gardener’s To-Do List for February

February To-Do List for Zone 9

• Build the soil! During dry spells, dig in composted manure and garden waste; turn under cover crops, such as annual rye, vetch, and clover.
• Start seeds of indispensable summer veggies—tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants—indoors under lights.
• Also indoors, start seeds of flowers that are slow to develop, such as lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), wax begonias, petunias, and geraniums.
• Plant perennials, bareroot roses, trees, shrubs, and vines. (Next month could be too hot!)
• Direct-seed radishes, spinach, carrots, peas, onions, and cabbage family vegetables.
• Continue to plant Iceland poppies (Papaver nudicaule), calendulas (Calendula officinalis), foxglove, and primroses in flowerbeds.
• Plant dahlia bulbs and begonia tubers.