Welcome February with vibrant color and lasting blooms! Planting cool-season flowers is an easy way to enhance the beauty of your Texas home and garden. Delight your winter garden with the promise of spring by planting bursts of gorgeous color in your flowerbeds and container gardens.
Ready to grow? Discover the best flowers to plant in February, learn helpful care tips, and more!
GERANIUMS
Geraniums are one of the most popular February blooms. They feature bold clusters of lightly scented flowers that will create a beautiful and dynamic statement. Geraniums are low-maintenance and easy to grow, providing vibrant color through spring. They are prized in container planting for their upright blooms, they thrive in sunny flowerbeds and are great to use as a cut flower.
Preparing your Geraniums for the great outdoors is easy. Place your plants in an area where they will receive at least 6 hours of full sunlight throughout the day. Providing Geraniums with sunshine is essential to their flowering and following a proper watering and deadheading routine will bring success.
When your Geraniums are freshly planted in your flowerbeds and containers, a key step in starting them off on the right foot is watering. Watering your new plants in thoroughly and deeply will allow the roots to get the moisture they need to grow strong and healthy. Avoid overhead watering which can cause pests and diseases and focus on deep watering directly to the soil. Give them a fresh drink about 2-3 times a week when the top 2 inches of the soil is dry. Deadhead spent Geranium blooms to encourage new growth and to keep them flowering.
Ready to fill your flowerbeds with these exciting early blooms? Always use a well-draining soil such as Calloway’s Premium Flowerbed Garden Soil to promote a healthy root system. Space each Geranium about 10-12 inches apart to allow room for growth. Add Calloway’s Premium Organic Mulch as a top dressing to help retain moisture and maintain the proper soil temperature.
RIEGER BEGONIAS
Also known as Tropical Begonia, this exciting variety is a cross of a Wax Begonia and a Tuberous Begonia! Rieger Begonias are winter annuals that can thrive in partial shade outdoors in Zones 8-11, but they perform best in the warm temperatures of our homes.
A fantastic choice for February, Rieger Begonias are known for their lovely, rose-like flowers. Their blooms are stimulated by the amount of light they receive. Give your plants bright, indirect light throughout the day to keep them flowering. Water when the soil the top 2 inches of soil is dry and avoid standing water.
CYCLAMEN
Make February festive with colorful Cyclamen! The beautiful leaves have an embroidered effect with designs of silver and green and the upright blooms shine in bright red, pink, purple, and white. The distinctive features and wonderful fragrance make them a delight in container plantings and gardens.
Is Cyclamen an indoor or outdoor plant? Cyclamen makes for a fantastic indoor plant, and it thrives in bright, indirect light when it is actively growing. When planting indoors, the air can get dry. Maintain a level of humidity by keeping your plant on a tray with water and pebbles.
Cyclamen is also versatile outdoors! It loves the cooler weather that this time of year brings. Planting them in your flowerbeds can bring a lovely texture to your garden or pair them with stylish pottery for a shade-loving container garden to decorate your patios with color.
Proper watering is crucial, but easily manageable – only water when the soil is dry to the touch, about an inch below the surface. Check the soil and only water your Cyclamen if the soil is dry. Avoid watering the leaves or blooms and focus on the roots in the soil.
CARNATIONS
Carnations are truly a classic. They are loved for their fluffy, delicate texture and colorful, lightly fragrant blooms. They are hardy, long-lasting, and a fantastic addition to any container garden or flowerbed. An ideal choice for Valentine’s Day color, Carnations symbolize captivation, distinction, and love.
Carnations are cold-hardy and will thrive in your February garden. They flourish in full sun with some afternoon shade as too much direct light can cause the colorful petals to fade. Plant in an area that receives morning sun and maintain a regular watering schedule for your gardening success. Water at the base of the plant when the top of the soil is dry and never allow it to dry out completely.
GERBERA DAISY
Gerbera Daisies are bright and cheerful flowers that add cuteness and style to any garden. They are loved for their versatility and can be utilized in so many ways. Gerbera Daisies are great in flowerbeds, container gardens, and as cut flowers in a floral arrangement.
Growing these wonderful blooms in container gardens is ideal because it gives you the flexibility to move your plants for added frost protection if needed. A plant caddy makes it even easier to move your plants to a warmer area. Gerbera Daisies prefer cool temperatures and they do not like intense heat. Plant in an area that receives full sun with some afternoon shade. Water them regularly when the top 2 inches of the soil is dry, about 1 inch per week. As your plant establishes, it may need more frequent waterings.
KALANCHOE
Kalanchoes are part of the succulent family. They have thick succulent leaves with exceptional, long-lasting blooms. The tiny clusters of flowers produce a dome of beautiful color. Kalanchoes are popular houseplants because they are drought-tolerant and easy to grow. They bloom for months on end, providing your home with lasting color.
Kalanchoes are fantastic low-maintenance plants for any space. They perform best in bright, indirect sunlight and should be watered regularly. Allow the soil to dry completely before watering again.
STOCK
Stock is one of the most fragrant cool-season flowers! It is an upright and dynamic plant that produces beautiful double blooms. Popular during the Victorian era, Stock is a fabulous flower for February because they were considered a sign of deep affection. This flower is prized for its lovely color and versatility. The unique blooms make for excellent cut-flowers and are a great choice for attracting pollinators to your garden.
Stock thrives in full sunlight to partial shade. As long as they get at least 3 hours of sun per day, indirect light will also keep them blooming. Plant in an area that receives morning sun and afternoon shade for healthy growth. It is an excellent choice for an accent plant in containers, borders, or in mass plantings and prefers a moist and well-draining soil.
Garden with Ease
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we are here to help with all your gardening needs! Visit us today and explore our stunning collection of cool season blooms, lush indoor plants, stylish pottery, fresh herbs, and so much more! Shop any of our 28 neighborhood stores, where we have served our loyal customers for over 35 years.
Have questions? Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals; they are here to help!
