February Growers' Guide
Usually one of the hottest months of the year but also one of the most fruitful.
The Lilly Pilly berries are in full bloom and awaiting picking for jam making.
Apples and pears are beginning to ripen, citrus fruits are swelling, zucchinis are prolifically sharing their slender delights.
With proper care and attention, summer gardens can yield an abundance of fresh and delicate produce.
Flowers (seeds)
Alysum, Aster, Baby's Breath, Bergamot, Billy Buttons, Borage, Calendula, California Poppy, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Comfrey, Cornflowers, Cosmos, Dahlia, Delphinium, Dianthus, Echinacea, Everlasting Daisy, Feverfew, Forget me not, Gladioli bulbs, German Chamomile, Hyssop, Impatiens, Larkspur, Lavender, Marigolds, Nasturtium, Petunia, Phlox, Pincushion, Poppy, Salvias, Snapdragon, Sunflower, Sweet William, Verbana, Yarrow, Zinnia
Vegetables (seeds)
Adzuki beans, Artichoke, Beans, Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chervil, Chickory, Chives, Chinese broccoli, Dill, Endive, Fennel, Garlic chives, Kale, Leek, Lemon balm, Lettuce, Mizuna, Mustards, Onions, Oregano, PakChoy, Parsley, Peas, Peppermint, Radish, Rocket, Rosemary, Sage, Salsify, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spearmint, Spinach, Spring Onion, Squash, Sweet potato, Tarragon, Thyme, Turnip
Tips for raising brassica seeds
Brassicas need potassium for flower development, blood and bone or similar because they are hungry growers.
Fruits
-
Watering is super important in February. Plenty of water, regularly.
-
Mulching your fruit trees is important for water retention in the soil.
-
Use seaweed solution or similar weekly to help keep your tree strong and cope with the heat. Spraying in the late evening is usually a good idea.
-
Plant tropical fruit trees now - banana, mango, pineapple
-
Plant avocado trees towards the end of February depending on weather
-
Order your bare rooted fruit trees if you have not yet already
-
Check regularly for pests - Queensland Fruit Fly, Slugs, Aphids, Ants, etc
-
Conduct summer fruit tree pruning where necessary
-
After your last raspberry harvest, remove old canes
-
Use supports to hold up heavy bearing raspberry canes
-
Bag and thin stone fruit
-
Thin citrus as the fruit develops to stop branches breaking
Soil, Compost & General
-
Put weeds in your compost
-
Cover your worm farm with a wet hessian blanket to keep them happy in the heat OR
-
Keep your veggies mulched
-
Prepare soil for Autumn planting by adding compost and other organic matter now
-
Decide if you want to plant a green manure over winter - lablab, cow pea, millet etc
Tools & Equipment
-
Check and maintain your fruit fly traps
-
Tidy up nets as required
-
Wash fruit bags and dry for next season
-
Repair irrigation systems, consider adding timers where possible
Garlic Spray
Garlic spray for aphids, caterpillars, stink bugs etc.
10 cloves of garlic, 1L warm water, infuse overnight, strain and spray. Use within a few days.
Black Spot and Powdery Mildew Fungicide
For black spot and mildew.
Dissolve 1 TBL spoon baking soda into 4.5L water, add 2.5TBL spoons dishwash, agitate. Spray weekly.
Seed Saving & Harvesting
Harvesting
beans, berries, lettuce, silverbeet, apples, stone fruit and citrus fruit as they ripen, spring onions, rhubarb, mustards, spinach, asparagus, squashes, tomatoes, herbs
Seed saving
Peas and snow peas, rocket, radishes, broccoli, silverbeet, coriander, artichokes, rhubarb
Seed from beans and peas
Check out our seed saving page for more information.