Attention, gardeners: The Joshua Basin Water District has useful tips to get your beloved plants through February. Reporter Heather Clisby has details…
Though Mother Nature tends the landscape well enough, plenty of optimistic souls tend a garden year-round here in the Hi-Desert. The Joshua Basin Water District advises watering anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and to avoid running watering systems on high wind days. Remember that February is an ideal time to control winter weeds before they flower. Other tips:
• Plant ground covers, bulbs, low-water-use plants, and any native plants you missed in the fall planting season. If your elevation gets frost, plant later in the month.
• Plant bare-root trees and shrubs through early March.
• Prune evergreens now, but not later in spring or summer.
• Prune the rest of your summer-blooming, deciduous fruit and nut trees, roses, and dormant shrubs.
• Fertilize perennials and trees with slow-release plant food (most natives and drought-adapted plants don’t need fertilizer).
• Water trees deeply to prepare for spring growth surge (deep roots protect trees from blowing over).
• Turn off irrigation timers if it rains.
The district is now offering free 2021 Desert-Smart Gardening calendars at the Joshua Tree Farmers’ Market on Saturdays.
Mark the calendar for Sunday, March 28, when the Joshua Basin Water District and the Joshua Tree National Park will host a spring native plant sale from 1 to 3 p.m. Details to come.
