Seasonal Action Guide
What to Do in the Garden in February (Warm-Climate US)
The short answer
In zones 7-10, February is the start of spring, not the depth of winter. Texas A&M AgriLife's Austin-area checklist calls it the last month to set out cool-season vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, and the month to sow beets, carrots, and turnips and hurry English and sugar snap peas into the ground early. Gulf Coast gardeners plant seed potatoes this month, and tomato seedlings started indoors get hardened off for a March planting.
It is also the big pruning month: cut roses back around mid-February once buds swell, prune fruit trees, and cut perennials and ornamental grasses to the ground before new growth — but do not prune oaks in oak-wilt country from February through June. If your lawn has a history of winter weeds, university calendars time preemergence treatment to when daytime temperatures hold near 65°F.
Plant and sow
- Set out your last cool-season transplants — broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage — early in the month (Texas A&M calls February the last month for these).
- Sow beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, and lettuce directly; plant English, snow, and sugar snap peas at the start of the month so they mature before heat.
- Plant seed potatoes in the Gulf South and lower Southeast this month.
- Plant summer bulbs such as gladiolus late in the month.
- Start or keep growing tomato and pepper transplants indoors; begin hardening them off for early-spring planting.
Maintain and protect
- Prune roses around mid-February; UF/IFAS notes blooming begins about 8-9 weeks after pruning.
- Prune fruit trees and cut back perennials and ornamental grasses before new growth emerges.
- Do not prune oaks from February through June where oak wilt is a risk (Texas A&M guidance).
- Time lawn preemergence weed control to when temperatures stabilize around 65°F; hold off on fertilizing warm-season lawns until they fully green up.
- Fertilize onions planted earlier and keep frost cloth ready — late freezes still happen in zones 7-9.
Harvest
- Keep cutting winter greens, broccoli side shoots, cabbage, and lettuce.
- Harvest root crops — carrots, beets, turnips — before they bolt as days warm.
- Pick remaining citrus in the citrus belt before spring flush.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Travis County) — February Gardening Checklist for Austin — February: last month for cool-season transplants; sow beets/turnips/carrots; plant peas early; prune roses and fruit trees mid-month; avoid pruning oaks Feb 1-Jun 30
- UF/IFAS Extension — North Florida Gardening Calendar (EP451) — February: prune roses (bloom 8-9 weeks after pruning); apply lawn preemergence when temperatures stabilize around 65°F
- LSU AgCenter — Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide (Pub. 1980) — Gulf South planting windows: potatoes and cool-season crops planted in late winter, warm-season transplants after the last frost
Keep going
Garden Tasks for January (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for March (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for April (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for August (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for December (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for July (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for June (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for May (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide