Category: garden tasks

To Do in the Garden: February 2026

On By durhammastergardenersIn garden tasks, Gardening calendar, gardening NC, pruning, Uncategorized

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Closeup of plant twig covered with ice and snow.
Shrub whose branches are heavy and bending under the weight of snow.
Spent seed heads of black eyed Susan plant covered in snow.

In central North Carolina, frigid temperatures and snow are ushering in February 2026. (Image credits: Sabrina can den Heuvel/Pixabay; Melinda Heigel)

Well, friends, wasn’t January fun?  I haven’t worn so many clothes simultaneously for so long since the BIG SNOW of 2000 (or maybe since I was a kid in upstate New York).  It has been (expletive deleted) COLD!! 

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) has gone into deep hibernation.  I have managed to get a solid covering of wood chips on some of it.  (Good thing I kept the tractor when I dissolved the landscape company.)  My barely functioning left knee prevented any detail work in the ACG.  (By the time you read this that problem will have been taken care of.)

February is the official start of gardening season (if there isn’t any white stuff covering the beds).  I know that is a fact.  I saw it on the internet.  There are many more things to do this month than in January, so lets put on all of our clothing and get started.

Lawn Care

Cool season grasses (i.e. fescue and bluegrass) should be fertilized with a slow-release fertilizer following the recommendation of your SOIL TEST.

Late February/early March is the best time to apply a preemergent crabgrass preventer.  There are several easy to use granular products on the market.  Be sure to read and follow the directions on the label for safe and proper handling and application.  Calibrate your spreader to ensure accurate application amounts.  Too little will not give you effective control and too much may damage the turf.

Fertilizing

See Lawn Care above and Planting below.

Planting

And so, it begins.  The vegetable garden.  The reason for existence, for frozen fingers in February, summer sunburn and the endless supply of liniment in the medicine cabinet.

Kale crop covered in heavy frost.

According to NC State experts, “Some cool season crops like Brussels sprouts, beets, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach will survive even if the temperature drops below 26 ºF for an extended period of time.” (Image credit: NC State Extension)

It is time for root vegetables and salad (and beef Bourguignon—which you can’t grow in the garden).  Early “plantables” include cabbage, carrots, leaf lettuce, onions, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips.  Work a little fertilizer into the soil that was tested in October (while it was still free to do so) following the recommendations of said SOIL TEST. More winter weather ahead into spring? Learn how to protect your crops.

Be cognizant of soil moisture levels.  Mother Nature has not done much in that department since October of 2025, but she can be really fickle.  We’ll probably have monsoons in April.

Pruning

If you have been ignoring previous posts, now it would be a good time to prune bunch grapes and fruit trees.

Also due for judicious trimming are summer flowering shrubs and small trees.  That list includes rose of Sharon (Hibiscus seriatcus) crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), and hydrangeas that bloom on new wood (Hydrangea arborescens & H. paniculata). Note: now is not the time to prune spring-flowering shrubs. You should prune these shrubs AFTER they have flowered in spring, but before the next year’s flower buds are set. If you prune these shrubs in winter or early spring, you will remove many of the flower buds and have fewer if any spring blooms. Spring-flowering shrubs that sucker readily from the base can benefit from some thinning (more here). Examples of spring-flowering shrubs are lilacs, forsythia, viburnums, honeysuckle, chokeberry, mock orange, and weigela.

While you’re out there, late winter to early spring is the time to whack back the ornamental grasses, also. 

Got some overgrown shrubs that you’ve been meaning to (or are reluctant to) prune heavily?  Go for it now.  I understand that if you’ve never done it before it can be a bit intimidating, trust me.  The plant will almost always not only survive but also thrive.  I am aware of the never-more-than-a-third rule, but sometimes that is not enough.  This is known as renewal or rejuvenation pruning and can benefit overgrown and mature specimens. So if it needs to go back to 12”-18” …. go for it.  Chances are you and the plant will be glad you did.

Spraying

The orchard needs attention.  Peaches and nectarines should be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl. Spraying a dormant oil on the fruit trees will help control several insects later in the year.

Other Fun Stuff to do Outside in February

It’s the perfect time to propagate trees and shrubs through hardwood cuttings and tidy up unoccupied bluebird houses. (Image credit: University of New Hampshire Extension; NC Cooperative Extension)

Perennials can be divided as we head into spring.  Do it before the above-mentioned monsoons. Read up on it now and be ready.

Many landscape plants can be propagated via hardwood cuttings this time of the year.  Some of the plants in the category are crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), flowering quince (Chaenomoles spp.), junipers (Juniperus spp.), spiraea (Spiraea spp.) and weigelia (Weigelia spp).

Bluebirds will be most appreciative of a thorough house cleaning before the spring nesting season.  Remove all the old nesting materials and let them start afresh.  It’s like clean linens for them.

Oh, yeah.  Lest we forget…order flowers or other living things from the plant kingdom for your significant other.  Just for the record, guys like flowers and plants, too.  Happy Valentine’s Day, Y’all. Think positive thoughts about an early spring sans late freezes.

Resources and Additional Information

Learn what vegetables to start now on the blog from Master Gardener volunteer Kathryn Hamilton: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2F1

Prune like a pro with this guide from NC State Extension: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/general-pruning-techniques

From Clemson Cooperative Extension, learn more about providing for bluebirds through nest boxes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/providing-for-bluebirds-guidance-for-bluebird-nest-box-establishment-in-south-carolina/

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-70W

To Do in the Garden: November 2025

On By durhammastergardenersIn Durham NC, fall gardening, garden tasks, Gardening calendar, gardening in NC, Uncategorized

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County


Was it really dry in October or was it my imagination? October is one of my favorite months, but I would rather have one during which I did not have to drag the hose all over the yard twice a week. I don’t water the Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG). It has to make it on its own. That was one of the considerations when I planted it. Darwinism is definitely at work here.

Close-up of a pink zinnia flower with a butterfly resting on it, surrounded by green foliage and other colorful flowers in the background.
Close-up of a vibrant orange and red blanket flower (Gaillardia) among green foliage, with wilted flowers and stems in the foreground.
Close-up of a black-eyed susan flower with wilting petals, surrounded by green foliage.

(Left to right) Drought-resistant flowers keep showing up in the ACG like zinnias along with a stray gaillardia or two, commonly known as a blanket flower. With no frost to date, flowers are persisting late into the fall. And a few black-eyed Susans made a curtain call. (Image credit: Javin Griffin)

There are an astounding number of things still blooming. The African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) outnumber all the rest. They have been carrying the bulk of the load since mid-September. But they have friends. The zinnias (Zinnia elegans) are as foolproof an annual as you can get. Throw out the seeds and stand back. There are still some stray gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella), cosmos (C. sulfureus), purple cone flowers (Echinacea purpurea), and a solitary Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile).

Doing their Halloween best by coming back from the dead are several black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) all of which are interspersed with the ubiquitous hardy ageratum (Conoclinum coelestinum). Not a bad show for only 2” of rain. BTW, the pollinators really love the marigolds. I can usually expect to find three or four types of butterflies and an equal number of bee species on them.

Yeah, yeah. Shut up, Gary, and get to the real stuff. No worries. It’s all here.

Lawn Care

A person using a shovel to add leaves and garden debris into a metal bucket, with another bucket nearby. In the background, an outdoor composting structure is visible.
YES, PLEASE!
A row of large brown paper leaf bags on a suburban street beside a green recycling bin, surrounded by fallen leaves.
NO, THANK YOU!

(Left to right) Do this, not that! If you have seen the “Leave the Leaves” signs around you neighborhood in the fall, this message matters. According to Keep Durham Beautiful, “Leaving your leaves is one way to change some of the forces at work behind the twin crises of climate change and loss of biodiversity. Some direct impact and benefits to leaving your leaves includes more beneficial insects including pollinators and fireflies, less stormwater runoff, healthier soil and trees, and less air and noise pollution.” (Image credit: Allie Mullin; Melinda Heigel)


Leaf removal is job #1. If your lawn consists of warm season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, centipede), and you have heavy leaf cover that might mat and smother your turf, that’s about all you need to know. These grasses will soon be going dormant not to be heard from until spring. But wait! The landfill doesn’t need the fallen leaves. Rake them into your beds or a few concentrated piles on the edges of the yard where they will decompose and provide vital organic matter and nutrients. Want more fireflies?

Leaves left to decompose also provide valuable habitat for fireflies and other beneficial insects. They keep their larvae warm, hidden, and protected as they hibernate through the winter. You can also put them in compost piles, not the trash.

Should you have cool season grass (tall fescue, bluegrass, perennial rye) you are still mowing (3”- 4”) and either bagging or mulching clippings and leaves (preferably the latter). Remember, the landfill doesn’t need it. If you overseeded or started a new lawn, be sure it gets ½” of water twice a week at a minimum.

Fertilizing

Pretty much zilch here. You can add lime to correct a low pH (<6.0) at the rate indicated on the SOIL TEST results you received from NCDOA. (Come on! They’re still free until the end of the month, y’all.) Lime is best incorporated into the soil as it doesn’t move through the soil to the root zone very well.

Planting

Have I ever mentioned, “FALL IS FOR PLANTING” before?

A variety of potted plants including leafy greens and flowers displayed against a wooden background.

Image credit: Melinda Heigel

Trees and shrubs can be transplanted this month. It is not too late to plant spring-flowering bulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocuses, etc.) but try to complete this task before the end of the month. (Be on the lookout next week on the blog for tips on planting bulbs). One-year-old asparagus crowns can be transplanted now.

Pruning

Ahh, the perennial garden. Any day now, if it hasn’t happened already, Jack Frost or his insidious sibling Harriet Hardfreeze will drop in for a visit and finish any destruction not previously inflicted by Minerva Moisturestress. After that I plan to enjoy the deceased stalks until spring. There might be eggs of solitary bees or other beneficial insects in or on the stalk. You know, “Leave the Leaves.” How about a new saying? “Save the Stems.”

A close-up of a green, textured leaf or plant structure hanging from a brown stem, indicating seasonal changes in a garden.

Leaving a more “natural” fall-to-spring garden (read: untidy) is important for wildlife. Just like leaving leaves, leaving stems like those of the purple cone flower mean more habitat for over-wintering insects such as the black swallowtail chrysalis. (Image credit: Debbie Roos)


Dead or diseased wood can be trimmed from trees and shrubs. When removing entire branches make the pruning cuts at the outer edge of the branch collar (the flair at the base of the branch) to promote quicker healing. It is a good time to clean up the rest of the garden and landscape in general. You can yank weeds and other undesirable plants (the definition of a weed) and toss ‘em in the compost pile.

Spraying

If you’ve been doing battle with lace bugs all summer hit ‘em with a good dose of horticultural oil and put the sprayer away…well, clean it first, of course. (Might I suggest moving the offending azaleas to a less sunny location in the yard. They are an understory plant and are stressed when in full sun thereby inviting the lace bugs which prefer stressed plants. That’s your cause-and-effect lesson for this month.)

OTHER ENTERTAINING, ENLIGHTENING, AND ENCHANTING ENDEAVORS TO ENJOY IN PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA IN AUTUMN…

Three illustrated leaves in a row, each with a distinct outline and vein pattern.

Take a leaf hike in your neighborhood or local park.
Make a leaf pile for your kids or grandkids to play in.
Invite the neighbors over for an evening around the firepit. Hot cider and donuts required.
Enjoy the last few user-friendly days of 2025. They are numbered at this point.

May you have a wondrous Thanksgiving shared with people you love (and maybe some strangers).

Resources and Additional Information

More details on leaving the leaves: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/2023/09/08/leave-the-leaves-to-rake-or-not-to-rake/

Secret signals of fireflies: https://news.ncsu.edu/2019/07/how-fireflies-glow-and-what-signals-theyre-sending/

How to prune like a pro: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/general-pruning-techniques

On our blog, information about more fall blooming plants:

Hardy ageratum: (Conoclinium coelestinum) https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2sj

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4OY

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-6F7