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February Gardening Topics
Selecting Fruit & Nut Tree and Berry Varieties
Choosing a variety should be determined by your preferences and the climate in which it will be planted. Much research and ongoing trials have been conducted in this county. We are fortunate to have the research performed by the University of California Cooperative Extension as well as practical information from the local chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers and their International Rare Fruit Orchard at Prusch Farm Park in San Jose.
Increasingly warmer winter temperatures now compromise varieties of fruits that have historically been grown in this area. With a good number of fruits, this has become a big issue due to insufficient winter chill (days below 45 degrees F / 7 degrees C), which supports a clean break in dormancy, bud break and subsequent fruit set. What we need developed is a good low-chill cherry as there are none... yet!
Read more about fruit trees in general, as well as more in depth about apples.
For berries and ther small fruits, we have pages covering black and red berries, blueberries, and strawberries.
"There are basically two types of strawberries: short-day and day-neutral. Short-day cultivars produce when days are short in late fall, winter and early spring. Day-neutral cultivars do not respond to day length and continue to produce flowers and fruit all year long." — California Master Gardener Handbook, University of California, Davis, 2002, pg. 443
Planting Bare Root, Trees, Berries and Roses
There are still bare root trees, berries and roses available in the nurseries. The roots of these plants need to be kept moist until you plant. If they dry out — soak for an hour in a bucket of water before planting. Trim roots of broken, dead or spongy bits and carefully pull the roots apart. Dig a hole that is fairly shallow and wide. You want to spread the roots out sideways and have the crown of the plant several inches above the soil level. This is necessary, as the plant will settle lower over time. Water in well but wait to fertilize until you see new shoots growing. Be sure to water regularly if the rains are sparse. An inexpensive water meter from the nursery is very handy to check soil moisture. Generally it is best NOT to stake newly planted trees unless they can't stand upright on their own. They develop a larger caliper trunk if allowed to flex in the wind.
Learn more about the “Big Picture” from UC Davis Home Orchard web site
Also refer to UC publication 8048 (PDF) Fruit Trees: Planting and Care of Young Trees.
For roses, read the UC Publication (PDF) Roses in the Garden and Landscape: Cultural Practices and Weed Control.
Winter Maintenance
There isn't much growing in the outside garden at this time of year, but there are still things you should (or shouldn't) be doing. Here are a few:
Refer to the California Backyard Orchard maintenance calendars for more information about fruit tree care.
It's still too early to prune any plants that have sustained frost damage. Be patient! Wait until all danger of frost has passed, better yet to wait until the plant starts growing again.
Pruning Fuchsias: the last part of February is the time to prune fuchsias. There may be some frost damage so prune that out. Also take off some of last summer's growth. Leave at least two or three healthy leaf buds on each branch. Fuchsias have a tendency to get leggy. Frequently pinch the tips of the branches during the spring and summer to force side growth, making the fuchsia bushier. Pick off flowers as they fade. Check out the American Fuchsia Society's website for more information.
Grafting & Budding
These are the most important means of propagating fruit and nut trees for two reasons:
Species and cultivars that cannot be propagated by cutting or layering can be propagated by budding and grafting.
Budding and grafting allows the use of rootstocks with desirable characteristics that make them preferable to growing a tree on its own roots.
Grafting and budding involve joining two genetically distinct plants so that they unite to continue growth as a single plant. The two parts are known as the rootstock and the scion. The rootstock refers to the lower part of the grafted plant - the part that produces the root system. The scion is the upper portion that produces the desired variety. In budding, a bud is cut from the desired variety and is slipped under the bark of the tree on which you want it to produce. In a few weeks, the bud knits to the stock and becomes the new variety of plant. For more information about grafting for fruit trees, including rootstocks, refer to the California Backyard Orchard web site.
Fruit Tree Spraying
As always, the first challenge is to identify the disease or pest causing a problem. For help doing that, refer to the UC Integrated Pest MAnagement web site.
While we don't recommend spraying based solely on a calendar, we do offer a fruit tree and vine care calendar which describes when to treat specific conditions.
Rain Damage
Take a walk around your garden and:
Look around the foundation of buildings, especially at downspouts to make sure water drains away from the foundation.
Check succulents because rain and cold can make fleshy tissue turn to ice and then mush. Cut those parts away and allow a seal to form.
Check potted plants for water logging, tip on their sides to drain them out.
Pull any soil away from the trunks of shrubs or trees to prevent root rot.
Updated: 27-Jan-2008
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