February Lawn & Garden Tips: Welcome Spring to Your Garden
February is when Southern California gardens truly begin to wake up. Colorful flowers burst into bloom, fruit trees and roses spring back to life, and it's time to start planting warm-season favorites like tomatoes and peppers.
Whether you're refreshing containers, creating a pollinator garden, or preparing your landscape for spring, February is one of the most rewarding months to be in the garden.
What’s Taking Root This Month
Your February priorities at a glance.
- Refresh beds and containers with early spring color, sweet peas, flowering vines, and pollinator-friendly blooms.
- Begin feeding roses, plant ornamental and fruit trees, and start warm-season vegetables as local temperatures allow.
- Prepare lawns, patios, and landscape projects now so your garden is ready for active spring growth.
What You’ll Find in This February Garden Guide
Brighten Your Garden with Early Spring Color
Longer days and mild temperatures make February one of the best months to refresh your landscape with vibrant blooms.
Plant favorites such as:
- Primrose
- Pansies
- Violas
- Ranunculus
- Iceland poppies
- Snapdragons
- Nemesia
- Geraniums
- Senetti
- Osteospermum
These cool-season flowers add brilliant color to garden beds, entryways, hanging baskets, and patio containers while attracting early pollinators.
Tip from Our Garden Experts
Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage continuous flowering and keep containers looking fresh through spring.
Refresh Your Garden with Seasonal Color
Mix cool-season annuals in beds, baskets, and containers to create instant color throughout your outdoor spaces.
Find Your Local ArmstrongSweet Peas & Flowering Vines Are Ready to Climb
February is the perfect time to plant sweet peas before warmer weather arrives.
Train them up:
- Trellises
- Obelisks
- Arbors
- Garden fences
For even more vertical interest, add flowering vines like:
- Carolina jessamine
- Pink jasmine
- Hardenbergia
These fragrant climbers provide beautiful color while attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
Roses Are Waking Up
Your roses are beginning their spring growth.
Once you see several inches of new growth:
- Begin fertilizing according to product directions.
- Watch for early pests and diseases.
- Continue watering newly planted roses.
- Remove damaged winter growth.
If you haven't planted roses yet, February is still an excellent time to add new varieties to your landscape before spring.
Support Healthy Spring Rose Growth
Check new foliage regularly so pests or disease can be addressed early. Water deeply at the soil level and avoid keeping leaves wet overnight.
Japanese Maples & Ornamental Trees Take Center Stage
Few trees announce spring quite like Japanese maples.
Popular varieties include:
- Bloodgood
- Crimson Queen
- Red Dragon
February is also a wonderful time to plant:
- Fruitless olive trees
- Palo verde
- Magnolia
- Redbud
Cool temperatures allow trees to establish healthy root systems before summer arrives.
Start Your Edible Garden
One of the biggest gardening milestones of the year happens in February. By mid-to-late February, gardeners in warmer Southern California areas can begin planting warm-season favorites. In cooler or frost-prone locations, wait until conditions are suitable and be prepared to protect young plants from late cold weather.
Tomatoes
- Early Girl
- Better Boy
- Celebrity
- Sungold
- Cherry tomatoes
- Heirloom varieties
Peppers
- Bell peppers
- Jalapeños
- Serranos
- Anaheim
- Shishito
- Poblano
Continue planting:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Herbs
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
With proper care, you'll be harvesting fresh produce well into summer.
Get Your Spring Edible Garden Growing
Choose tomatoes, peppers, berries, herbs, and cool-season vegetables suited to your garden and local microclimate.
Visit Our Garden ExpertsPlant Fruit Trees Before Spring
February is one of the final opportunities to plant many deciduous fruit trees before warmer weather arrives.
Excellent choices include:
- Apples
- Peaches
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Persimmons
- Citrus
- Avocados
- Blueberries
When planting, enrich the soil with quality planting mix and a starter fertilizer according to label directions to encourage strong root development.
Refresh Your Patio & Containers
Spring entertaining is just around the corner.
Refresh your outdoor living spaces with:
- Decorative pottery
- Colorful container gardens
- Water features
- Patio furniture
- Outdoor accents
Combining seasonal flowers with beautiful containers instantly transforms patios, entryways, and porches.
Houseplants for Every Home
Bring spring indoors with fresh greenery.
Favorites for February include:
- Orchids
- Philodendrons
- Chinese evergreen
- Aglaonema
- Money tree
- Succulent planters
Houseplants also make thoughtful Valentine's Day gifts that continue growing long after fresh flowers fade.
Lawn Care for February
Now is the time to prepare your lawn for active spring growth.
This month:
- Feed cool-season lawns when appropriate.
- Apply pre-emergent weed control according to label directions.
- Adjust irrigation after winter rains.
- Monitor for drainage issues.
- Begin planning spring lawn improvements.
Plan Your Landscape Before Spring Arrives
Spring is the busiest season for landscape projects, so beat the rush by planning now.
Whether you're dreaming of:
- A colorful pollinator garden
- A waterwise landscape
- New trees and shrubs
- Outdoor living spaces
- Raised vegetable beds
Starting in February gives plants more time to establish before summer heat arrives.
Bring Your Landscape Vision to Life
Start your project before the spring rush and give new trees, shrubs, and perennials more time to establish.
Book a Landscape Design VisitFebruary Garden Checklist
- Plant colorful annual flowers.
- Grow sweet peas and flowering vines.
- Feed roses as new growth appears.
- Plant tomatoes and peppers as conditions allow.
- Add fruit trees and berries.
- Refresh containers and patio spaces.
- Feed citrus trees as appropriate.
- Fertilize Japanese maples and azaleas as needed.
- Apply weed prevention to lawns according to label directions.
- Schedule landscape projects before spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common February gardening questions about flowers, vegetables, fruit trees, roses, and landscape projects in Southern California.
What flowers should I plant in February in Southern California?
February is perfect for planting pansies, violas, primrose, ranunculus, snapdragons, nemesia, geraniums, osteospermum, and other cool-season flowers.
Is February a good time to plant tomatoes?
Yes. Mid-to-late February can be an excellent time to begin planting tomatoes in warmer Southern California areas. Be prepared to protect young plants if a late frost or cold spell is forecast.
Can I still plant fruit trees?
Absolutely. February is one of the last great opportunities to plant many deciduous fruit trees before spring growth begins.
What vegetables grow well in February?
Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, herbs, strawberries, and blueberries can all be planted during February, depending on local temperatures and frost risk.
Should I fertilize my roses now?
Yes. Once roses begin producing several inches of new growth, begin an appropriate feeding program according to product directions to encourage healthy foliage and abundant blooms.
Is February a good time to start landscaping?
Yes. Planning and planting in February allows trees, shrubs, and perennials more time to establish before warmer spring and summer weather arrives.
Welcome Spring to Your Garden
February is a season of transition and opportunity in Southern California gardens. Refreshing seasonal color, planting edible crops and trees, caring for roses, and planning landscape improvements now can set the stage for months of healthy growth and beautiful blooms.
For recommendations tailored to your garden and local microclimate, visit your local Armstrong Garden Center and speak with one of our garden experts.
