What Do You Plant in February?
Plant? In February?!
I'm sure that's what some of you are thinking, especially those of you who live in colder climates.
One of our main methods here at Gardenary is to start early, like before any of your neighbor gardeners are starting. Raised beds are a major resource that allow us to do so because the soil in a raised bed will be workable sooner than the soil in the ground.
So, yes, we plant in February, whether that means planting in ground or starting seeds indoors in preparation for upcoming warmer temperatures.
And while I’d love to give you a simple list of everything you can plant in your raised bed kitchen garden in February, the truth is it will vary depending on where you live.
Before you can know what you're able to plant in your area, you need to figure out which growing season you'll be in for the majority of the month. Follow these simple steps to name your growing season.
How to know your growing season in the month of February
Step One: Chart Your Highs and Lows
It’s time to use the internet to become further acquainted with your climate.
Google the average high and low temperatures for your town, county, city, or zip code for the months of February and March. If you’re in the United States, U.S. Climate Data is a helpful website that’s easy to use. Otherwise, you can search RSS Weather.
Step Two: Define Your Season
Rather than your garden zone, the goal is to instead understand your particular growing seasons. Once you know your seasons, you’ll have a better idea of what’s possible when in your unique garden, and to understand your seasons, all you need to know is the general weather for each month of the year in your area.
Here in the Chicago area, we're in the Cold Season, but our Cool Season is just around the corner. Here's a breakdown of the different growing seasons:
- Cold Season - Average high temperature below 30°F (-1°C); guaranteed chance of frost/snow
- Cool Season - Average high temperature between 31°F and 64°F; likely chance of frost/snow
- Warm Season - Average high temperature between 65°F and 84°F (18.3°C and 29.4°C); no chance of frost/snow
- Hot Season - Average high temperature of 85°F (29.4°C) or above; no chance of anything close to cold
Now that you know your current growing season, all you have to do is figure out which plants like to grow in your season. Since February is often a time of transition into the upcoming growing season, we're going to begin preparing to grow things in our upcoming season.
Take our fun and quick Green Thumb Quiz to discover more about your gardening abilities. We'll send you resources and suggestions to help you grow your self as a gardener.
Find out what plants like to grow in your season
Choose plants that will grow and produce within the time you have left in your current growing season, or if you're nearing the end of your season, begin planting in anticipation of your upcoming growing season.
I'm currently in my cold season, but I'm going to begin preparing for my cool season.
For small plants, we can soon begin to direct seed them in the garden. For large plants, we can start them indoors or buy starter plants from a local nursery or garden center.
Know Your Last Frost Date
You'll count back from your predicted last frost date to help you know what you can plant and when. Click here to find your last frost date in the US.
- By subtracting 120 days from your last frost date, you can determine the date when you can begin starting onions and leek seeds. In Chicago, that was January 9th. In Houston, by comparison, that was actually back in November.
- By subtracting 100 days from your last frost date, you can determine the date when you can begin starting kale, broccoli, and cabbage seeds. In Chicago, that's February 6th. In Houston, that was early December.
- By subtracting 45 days from your last frost date, you can determine when you can begin starting tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and basil seeds. In Chicago, that's March 31st. In Houston, that was early January (or right now).
If any of that seems intimidating, don't worry. Keep reading for some recommendations based on your growing season in February.
What plants can you plant in colder areas in February?
For those who will be in their COLD SEASON for February and into March:
Here's what you can buy, direct sow, and start from seed indoors this month for your cold season:
plant
You can plant spinach and carrots under frost cloth when your soil is workable.
start seeds
You can start things from the onion family, specifically onions, leeks, and chives, indoors. You can also begin Brassicas like kale, broccoli, mustard, and cabbage indoors. Don't forget to also start your favorite herbs from seed indoors. Here are some of the easiest herbs to start from seed.
For those who will be in their COOL SEASON by late February and into March:
Here's what you can buy, direct sow, and start from seed indoors this month for your cool season:
buy
Larger plants from the Brassica family, such as kale, broccoli, and cauliflower, will have more time to grow and thrive in your cool season garden if you buy them as transplants from your local nursery or garden center now. Buying herbs is also a good idea so that you can maximize their time in the garden and begin cutting herbs immediately.
plant
It's time to sow seeds for smaller Brassicas (mustard and cabbage), Asters (buttercrunch, romaine, and other lettuce varieties), spinach, and carrots outdoors.
start seeds
You can start seeds for medium and large warm season plants like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers indoors.
What plants can you plant in warmer areas in February?
If you live somewhere with milder winters, you could be finishing up your cool season in February. That means it's time to plant for your upcoming warm season (lucky you!).
Here's what you can buy, direct sow, and start from seed indoors this month for your warm season:
buy
If you haven't already started tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors, it's best to buy these plants as starts from your local nursery. That way, you'll be able to plant them outside soon and maximize their time in the garden before it gets too hot outside for them to thrive.
plant
This month is the time to plant seeds for arugula, cucumbers, beans, squash, and zucchini outdoors, directly in your garden.
start seeds
Believe it or not, February is actually the time to start seeds for your hot season garden indoors. Okra is a great plant that thrives in heat.
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What to Plant Outdoors in February
cold season
- spinach (under frost cloth)
- carrots (under frost cloth)
cool season
- mustard
- kale
- cabbage
- lettuce
- spinach
- carrots
warm season
- arugula
- cucumbers
- beans
- squash
- zucchini
What Seeds to Start Indoors in February
cold season
- onions
- leeks
- chives
- kale
- broccoli
- mustard
- cabbage
- cilantro
- sage
cool season
- tomatoes
- eggplants
- peppers
warm season
- okra
- tomatillos
What about flowers?
What Are the Best Flowers to Plant in February?
Zinnia seeds, calendula seeds, strawflower seeds, and marigold seeds can be planted outdoors once your final threat of frost has passed, or you can start them inside now. Wait a few weeks after your last predicted frost to plant your nasturtium seeds.
If you're going to enjoy cool/cold weather for a while longer, you can buy frost-tolerant pansies, pink dianthus, or violas from the nursery and use them to add some bright color to your raised beds before it's time to add spring flowers.
Grow with Gardenary
No matter what you plant, give your seeds a really good watering in and keep them moist in the first seven to ten days after sowing to prevent them from drying out. If you're new to starting seeds, check out our comprehensive video tutorials on seed starting in our membership program, Gardenary 365. You'll learn what supplies you need, how to prevent your seedlings from getting leggy, the best method to water your seedlings, and more.
If you're still getting your kitchen garden set up, learn more through Gardenary's many resources:
- Order a custom garden design through our virtual garden design service.
- Get started with my book, Kitchen Garden Revival.
Another great resource to help you know what to plant when in your area is the nearest garden consultant to you. Find a Garden Consultant near you in our Directory. Follow them on social media or sign up for their newsletter for an easy way to know what's possible to grow in your area each month.
Whatever you grow in your garden, don't grow alone! We're here to help you have confidence and find success in the garden every step of the way, rain or shine or frost.
Here's to maximizing your growing time this February!
with Gardenary 365
Gardenary 365 gives you on-demand access to our bestselling online gardening courses including Salad Garden School, Herb Garden Guide, Microgreens, and Indoor Seed Starting, as well as monthly coaching, habit tracking, and a private community. There's no other place on the internet where you can grow like this.