February Gardening Guide: What to Plant and Harvest
🧄🌱 Welcome, PNW gardeners! As February arrives, it brings with it the promise of a new gardening season. While it may still feel wintry in some regions, there are plenty of opportunities to get your hands in the soil and start planting. In this guide, we'll explore what to sow outdoors and what to harvest this month to keep your garden thriving. 🌿
Planting Outdoors in Late February: 📆
Onion Sets, Shallots, Garlic: Late February marks the perfect time to plant these alliums. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil and plant the sets or cloves about an inch deep, spaced several inches apart. These crops will appreciate the cool weather of late winter and early spring.
Peas, Beans: Get a jump start on your legume garden by sowing peas and beans directly into the ground in late February. Choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil. Plant seeds about an inch deep and several inches apart in rows or clusters, depending on your preferred method of support.
Flax: Flax is a versatile crop that can be grown for its seeds or fibers. Sow flax seeds directly into the ground in late February, choosing a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Plant seeds about half an inch deep and thin seedlings as needed once they emerge.
Fennel, Sweet Cicely: These flavorful herbs can be sown outdoors in late February. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil and sow seeds directly into the ground, covering them lightly with soil. Keep the soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge.🌧️
Harvesting in February: 🥗🍽️
Rosemary, Thyme: These woody herbs can be harvested throughout the winter months, including February. Snip sprigs as needed for culinary use, being sure not to harvest more than one-third of the plant at a time to allow for regrowth.
Sorrel: This tart, lemony herb is ready for harvesting in February. Harvest leaves as needed for salads, soups, or sauces, taking care not to remove more than one-third of the plant at once.
Leeks: Leeks planted in the previous growing season can be harvested throughout the winter months. Dig up leeks as needed, being sure to loosen the soil around the base of the plant before gently pulling it from the ground.
Cress, Chickweed, Miners Lettuce, Parsley, Mustard: These cold-hardy greens are perfect for harvesting in February. Snip leaves as needed for salads, sandwiches, or garnishes, being sure to harvest young, tender leaves for the best flavor.
With a bit of planning and preparation, February can be a productive month in the garden. Whether you're sowing seeds outdoors or harvesting winter greens, there's plenty to do to keep your garden thriving even in the midst of winter. Happy gardening! 🧤🏡
