Here's What To Do In Your Brevard Yard And Garden In February

It looks like winter is long overdue and there may be even colder weather in the future. At least the days are getting longer, which is good. The weather is usually fine for work outside this month, so check out the suggestions below for what to do.

Landscaping workshop in Florida. The free Florida Beauty Workshop will be held on Saturday, March 25 at the Eau Gallie Convention Center. The event started at 9am with four presentations scheduled: Indian River Lagoon Renewal; "Main species, soil and some compost"; "Bats in My Florida Backyard" and "Go Indigenous! Solutions to Erosion and Runoff."

Door prizes will be given to those who are still present after the final presentation. There will also be vendors at the event, so please arrive early to see the vendors and shop, or to see the vendors and shop during breaks or after the workshop. For free ticket registration, visit this link fflseminar2023.eventbrite.com.

Florida Landscape Series. The Florida Friendly Landscape Series will begin on Tuesday, April 5 and continue for the next seven consecutive Tuesdays. Classes are held from 09:00 to 12:00. Each class will cover two topics and the series costs $75. To see all the topics that will be covered, visit Eventbrite at 2023fflclassseries.eventbrite.com. If you are new to gardening in Florida or want to get the most out of your gardening endeavors, this course is for you.

Cut the flowers. The middle of the month is a good time to prune hybrid rose bushes. To create a new bush, select four to five main shoots and trim the rest. Remove the upper third of the main shoot and remove any dead, damaged or branching shoots up to the main shoot. Flowers will appear eight to nine weeks after pruning. If you are planting old garden roses such as china, tea, bourbon, or damask roses, they can easily be trimmed as needed.

Water your lawn once a week. If your grass is turning yellow from the short days, keep watering it (no more than once a week) and make sure you don't need to mow as often this month. Don't wait for the grass to turn green and don't try until the days are longer and the temperature is warmer.

How healthy are your vegetables? Check your garden for diseased, insect infested, old, or unproductive plants and cut them back to ground level. This will allow the root system to remain in the soil (eat with soil microbes) and not disturb the soil.

Read more: These winter flowers can beat the Central Florida chill | Sally Scalera

Read more: It's time to trim the crepe myrtle, but crepe murder isn't Sally Scaler

Vegetables to plant this month. Vegetables that can be planted in February include arugula, chickpeas, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, bok choy, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, chicory/peas, cabbage, kohlrabi, okra, onion plant. . (greens and onions), peas, peppers, potatoes (Irish and sweet), radishes, spinach, squash, corn, chard, tomatoes, radishes and watermelon.

Be careful when planting sweet and hot peppers: plant them far from each other, for example on either side of the house, so the flavors stay natural and don't mix. When growing vegetables in the garden or in containers, be sure to sprinkle the planting holes and/or moisten the soil with a microbial preparation. Peas and beans should be inoculated with suitable nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Email the Brevard County UF/IFAS Extension Chief Planter at brevard-mg1@ifas.ufl.edu for more information on creating a soil food web in your garden!

Seeds to plant. Vegetable seeds that can be sown in February for planting in March include arugula, chickpeas, cabbage, cantaloupe, bok choy, cucumbers, kohlrabi, okra, peppers, peas, spinach, squash, corn, radishes and watermelon.

Plants to plant now. Some herbs to plant in February are basil, oregano, fennel (chives and garlic), fennel, fennel, parsley, sweet basil, mint, sage, and thyme. Another caveat: dill and fennel are planted too far apart. Otherwise, their tastes may be mixed.

Tubers for planting. Bulbs that can be planted this month include agapanthus, amaryllis, caladium, eland, crinum lily, crocosmia, dahlia, hurricane lily (Lycoris spp.), rain lily and spider lily.

Like vegetables, herbs and tubers may benefit from inoculating the planting hole with beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae.

Visit the farmers market. Take a look at the vendors and their products available at the Brevard County Farmers Market every Thursday from 3pm to 6pm this month at the Wickham Park Pavilion:

A&D Beehives - Natural honey, pollen, beeswax and other beehive products, all from our own hives.
Captain Tony's Pirate Salsa - Great fresh salsa, candied jalapeño and sweet.
Dana's Cupcakes & More - Homemade cupcakes, candies, cakes and more.
Deep Roots Beef (second Thursday only) - Florida-raised, grass-fed Angus beef, straight from the ranch.
Detox Energy Greens are organic and vegan powder blends and teas made from herbs, vegetables and superfoods.
ET Produce - A variety of fresh produce from Florida.
Friends Goods - a wide selection of freshly made hummus, garlic and pita bread.
From Christine's Kitchen - Delicious homemade jam with different flavors.
Babushka Luks Apple Butter - Delicious homemade apple butter, apple jelly and barbecue sauce.
I Love You Peanuts - A wide selection of homemade peanut butter.
Mountain Laurel Artisans - locally roasted organic coffee, including flavour, whole bean, ground, in cup or iced.
My Green Thumb Plant Shop - fresh herbs, edible plants and pollinators for bees and butterflies.
Nana's Kitchen - homemade cakes, sandwich cookies, vanilla and fruit extracts.
Grandma D's Olive Pit and Speed Sausage - Delicious olives, flavorful olive oil and vinegar.
Our ancestors' products were pork and pork products grown on local farms.
Pueo Farms - local produce, from tubers to greens, grown fresh on the farm.
Big Dream Factory - fresh pasta, pasta sauce, cheese and other delicious Italian products.
Two Swans Bakery - all vegan cakes, muffins, breads and more.
Vegan Desserts - Peanut butter cups, truffles and more. including delicious vegan desserts.
Vital Silver - laundry soap and special items made from "colloid silver" for people, children and pets.
Zesty Fox Farms - locally grown microgreens, sprouts, wheatgrass, and microgreens kit.

Keep up to date by checking the Facebook page at facebook.com/brevadcountyfarmersmarket.

Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and senior horticulture coordinator at the University of Florida Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences. Email sasc@ufl.edu.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Enjoy pleasant February weather with this list of yard tasks.