Southern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
February, 2005
Regional Report
Plant Potatoes
Place potatoes in a 4-inch-deep trench dug well with compost, and cover the cut-and-calloused pieces or small, whole tubers with more compost to the original soil level. Water lightly, just to settle the soil close to the seed pieces. Too much water will rot them.
Choose Carrot Varieties According to Soil Type
When choosing carrot varieties, consider the heaviness of your soil. Sow short stubby carrots in heavy clay soils, and longer tapered ones in looser sandy soil. Feeder tip roots will grow 4 to 6 inches further down than the edible portion, which is why they need sandy soil to grow straight.
Plant Bare-Root Trees and Vines
This is the last month to plant bare-root fruit and nut trees, berries, grapes, and vines. Also plant strawberries so they can grow well before the weather warms and they put out blossoms. Mark your November calendar as the best time to transplant strawberries so they're well established by the time they blossom in spring.
Sow Posies
Sow ageratums, alyssum, asters, baby-blue-eyes, baby\'s breath, bachelor\'s buttons, calendulas, campanulas, candytuft, carnations, clarkias, coreopsis, columbines, coralbells, cosmos, African and Shasta daisies, delphiniums, dianthus, forget-me-nots, foxgloves, hollyhocks, impatiens, larkspur, linaria, lobelia, lunaria (honesty, money plant, silver dollar plant), lupines, marigolds, morning glories, nasturtiums, nemesia, pansies, petunias, phlox, California and Shirley poppies, salvia, scabiosa, snapdragons, stocks, strawflowers, sweet peas, sweet william, verbena, violas, and wildflowers.
Plant Summer Bulbs
Plant bulbs for spring and early summer blooms, including achimenes, agapanthus, amaryllis, tuberous begonias, caladiums, calla lilies, canna lilies, colchicums, dahlias, daffodils, daylilies, gladiolus, bearded and Dutch iris, sternbergias, tigridias, and tuberoses. For continuous bloom later this spring, plant a selection of anemones, gladiolus, ranunculus, and tigridias every two weeks through March.
