February Garden Tasks: What to Do in the Garden by Region

By the Garden Voila editorial team · Updated October 28, 2026 · How we verify

February is when the gardening year starts moving again. In cold climates (USDA zones 3 to 5), start onions, leeks and slow perennials indoors, plan and order, check stored crops, and begin dormant pruning of apples and pears late in the month. In temperate zones 6 and 7, it is the main month for dormant pruning and dormant oil sprays, for starting peppers, eggplant and cabbage-family transplants indoors, and, in zone 7, for sowing peas and spinach outdoors once the soil can be worked. In warm zones 8 and 9, plant potatoes, peas, onions, lettuce, asparagus and strawberries, prune roses and fruit trees, and feed citrus. In frost-free zones 10 and 11, harvest winter crops and plant the spring round of warm-season vegetables.

February garden tasks by region

Check your zone on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and your last frost date with our frost dates by zip code tool. In February, nearly every seed-starting and planting decision is counted back from that last frost date, which our seed starting calculator does for you.

What seeds should you start indoors in February?

Give seedlings 14 to 16 hours of strong light a day, keep the mix evenly moist, and run a small fan for sturdier stems. Use clean trays and fresh seed-starting mix to prevent damping-off, and harden seedlings off before planting out with the hardening off schedule calculator.

What to do in cold-climate gardens (zones 3 to 5)

• Start onions, leeks and celery indoors early in the month, and slow perennials and herbs such as lavender, rosemary and thyme.
• Winter sow hardy perennials, wildflowers and some cool-season vegetables in covered containers outdoors; see the winter sowing calculator.
• Prune apple and pear trees late in the month on mild days when the wood is not frozen. See how to prune a pear tree.
• Check stored produce and use soft or sprouting crops first; start eating stored squash before it declines.
• Watch for snow and ice damage, and repair tree guards.
• Begin light feeding of houseplants late in the month as days lengthen and new growth starts.

What to do in temperate gardens (zones 6 to 7)

• Dormant prune fruit trees: apples, pears, grapes and blueberries before buds swell; wait until late February or bloom for peaches, plums and cherries. Remove dead, diseased, crossing and inward-growing branches and water sprouts. See when to prune cherry trees and how to prune a plum tree.
• Apply dormant oil to fruit trees and shrubs with a history of scale, mites or aphid eggs, on a dry day above 40°F with no freeze forecast for 24 hours, before buds open.
• Start seeds indoors: peppers and eggplant 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost, cabbage-family crops 6 to 8 weeks before.
• Sow peas and spinach outdoors in zone 7 late in the month if the soil is workable, meaning it crumbles rather than sticks when squeezed.
• Cut back ornamental grasses and perennials left standing over winter, late in the month before new growth starts.
• Prune summer-flowering shrubs that bloom on new wood, such as butterfly bush, panicle and smooth hydrangeas, crape myrtle (lightly) and roses in zone 7 late in the month. Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs yet. See hydrangea care.
• Take a soil test if you did not in fall, so you can add lime or nutrients before planting.
• Keep off wet soil to avoid compaction.

What to do in warm-climate gardens (zones 8 to 9)

• Plant seed potatoes two to four weeks before your last frost, after cutting seed pieces with at least two eyes and letting them dry for a day or two. See our guide to growing potatoes.
• Sow and plant cool-season crops: peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets, onion transplants, and broccoli and cabbage transplants.
• Plant asparagus crowns and strawberry plants.
• Prune roses in mid to late February, cutting hybrid teas back by about a third to a half above outward-facing buds and removing dead and weak canes.
• Prune fruit trees before bloom, and plant bare-root trees early in the month.
• Feed citrus with a citrus fertilizer in late winter as growth begins.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicide to lawns, if you use it, when soil temperatures reach about 55°F, typically when redbuds or forsythia bloom, to prevent crabgrass.
• Keep frost cloth handy for late freezes on early plantings and blooming fruit trees.

What to do in frost-free gardens (zones 10 to 11)

• Plant spring warm-season crops: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, squash, cucumbers, melons and sweet corn, so they mature before summer heat and rains.
• Harvest winter greens and roots before they bolt as days warm.
• Feed citrus, mango and avocado trees according to local recommendations, and mulch.
• Watch for aphids, whiteflies and thrips as temperatures rise; see thrips.

The University of Florida IFAS guide to what to plant in February lists crops by Florida region.

What about the Pacific Northwest?

In maritime climates, finish dormant pruning, apply dormant sprays where needed, sow peas and fava beans late in the month when soil is workable, and start broccoli, cabbage and lettuce indoors. Protect early sowings from slugs. The Oregon State University Extension monthly garden calendars cover February tasks in detail.

February tasks for every garden

Pruning basics

• Use clean, sharp tools and disinfect them between diseased plants.
• Cut just outside the branch collar, the swollen area where a branch joins the trunk, without leaving stubs or cutting flush.
• Remove no more than about a quarter of a tree’s live canopy in one year.
• Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac, forsythia and azalea after they bloom, not now.
• Remove branches with fire blight cankers well below the infection on dry days; see fire blight.

Soil and beds

• Add compost to beds when the soil is dry enough to work.
• Build or repair raised beds before the busy spring season; the raised bed soil calculator estimates how much soil to order.
• Check compost bins and turn piles as they thaw.

Houseplants

• As days lengthen, resume light feeding at half strength for plants showing new growth.
• Repot root-bound plants late in the month or in early spring; see monstera care and pothos care for repotting tips.
• Take cuttings of pothos, philodendron and other vining plants to propagate.
• Keep watching for spider mites and mealybugs, which build up in dry winter air.

Lawn

• Stay off frozen or soggy turf.
• Service the mower and sharpen the blade.
• In the South, time pre-emergent crabgrass control to soil temperature, not the calendar.

Wildlife and pollinators

• Keep feeding birds and providing water; late winter is when natural food is scarcest.
• Put up nest boxes before birds start looking for sites.
• Leave hollow stems and leaf litter in some areas until temperatures stay above 50°F, since many native bees overwinter in them.

What can you plant in February?

Common February garden mistakes

• Working wet soil, which ruins soil structure for the season.
• Starting tomatoes too early in cold zones; they should go in 6 to 8 weeks before planting out.
• Pruning spring-flowering shrubs, which removes this year’s flowers.
• Applying dormant oil in freezing weather or after buds open, which can damage plants.
• Cleaning up beds too thoroughly too early, which removes overwintering beneficial insects.
• Fertilizing lawns too early, which feeds weeds more than grass.

Looking ahead to March

March is the true start of spring planting in temperate zones: peas, spinach, onions and potatoes outdoors, tomatoes indoors, and pruning roses as forsythia blooms. In the South, warm-season crops go in after the last frost, and in the North, seed starting moves into full swing. Our free printable garden planner has a planting timing chart for 24 crops. Catch up on our January and December guides too.

Garden tasks by month: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December. For a task list built from your own frost dates, use our gardening calendar.

February garden FAQ

How do you know when soil is ready to work?

Many early crops, such as peas, spinach and potatoes, can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked, but that phrase confuses many gardeners. Squeeze a handful of soil from a few inches down. If it forms a sticky ball that holds its shape or leaves your hand muddy, it is too wet; digging or tilling now will compact it and leave hard clods for the rest of the season. If the ball crumbles apart when you poke it, the soil is ready. Raised beds and sandy soils dry out and warm up weeks earlier than heavy clay, which is one reason raised beds are so useful for early planting. A soil thermometer also helps: peas and spinach germinate once the soil reaches about 40°F, while potatoes prefer at least 45°F and beans and squash need 60°F or warmer.

Late-winter tree and shrub checks

Walk the garden on a mild February day and look for damage from snow, ice, wind and animals. Prune broken branches back to healthy wood, check trunks for vole and rabbit damage at the base, and look for egg masses of pests on twigs and trunks. In areas with spotted lanternfly, scrape egg masses from trees, fences and outdoor furniture. Evergreens browned by winter wind often recover; wait until new growth starts in spring before deciding to cut out damaged sections. Newly planted trees that were heaved by frost should be gently pressed back down and mulched.

References used in this guide: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Plant Hardiness Zone Map; University of Florida IFAS, What to Plant in February; Oregon State University Extension, Monthly Garden Calendars.