When and How Much to Water Your Plants in February
February is a unique time for plants. Most areas of North America have snow or ice, while others have mild temperatures and occasional rainfall. When and how much you should water depends on the plants you’re growing, their location, and your climate. Let’s dive in!
Contents
Water is one of the essential components of plant life. Plants use it to stay perky, to photosynthesize, and to respire. Though important, too much or too little can cause growing issues for indoor and outdoor plants.
Knowing how much and how often to irrigate your plants are indispensable skills. They’ll help you make choices in your garden that lead to growing success. It’s easy to forget that dormant and overwintering plants require moisture to thrive, no matter how cold it gets!
We’ll cover how to moisten these five main categories of plants. They include indoor specimens like houseplants and outdoor dormant ones like bulbs. Be sure to adjust your February watering schedule accordingly—your plants will thank you with healthy growth by spring!
Houseplants
Houseplants begin pushing fresh growth in February while days lengthen and outdoor temperatures rise. The heat and light boosts cause indoor plants to grow new shoots, stems, and leaves as they prepare for spring.
You’ll see ZZ plants, Swiss cheese plants, and spider plants with fresh stems and shoots in late winter and early spring. Though there may still be frost outside, indoor houseplants are safe from freezing temperatures. They like plenty of dampness to compensate for their new growth.
When to Water
Moisten your houseplants after their surface dries a bit. You want to avoid oversaturating the soil; it can lead to root rot and other diseases common in soggy conditions.
The finger test is a good way to see if your houseplants need watering. Simply stab your finger in the containers and see if the soil sticks to it. If it does, the soil is still moist and doesn’t require more moistening. Adding more is a good idea If the dirt falls off your finger and is dry deep down.
Most houseplants like to dry slightly between waterings, but some prefer consistent moisture, while others like droughty conditions. Identify the species you have to determine their watering needs. Cacti like little watering, while tropical rainforest plants thrive with plenty.
How Much to Water Plants in February
How much water your indoor plants need in February depends on their container size. It’s best to thoroughly saturate the soil when you irrigate, adding moisture until it seeps through the drainage holes on the bottom of the container.
All houseplants, including cacti, appreciate a thorough soaking. This mimics natural conditions where rainfall soaks the ground. The ground dries, and then more rain soaks it again. Mimic your plants’ native habitats, and they’ll thrive inside your home.
Seedlings
Seedlings are tricky! Young ones need consistent moisture, though they don’t consume a lot. It’s easy to overwater them. Mature seedlings with plenty of roots drink more than young ones and need more moisture to thrive.
The type of plants you grow from seed also dictates how much watering is necessary in February and beyond. Fast-growing ones like lettuce, endive, and onions need a lot of resources, while slow-growing types like lavender and rosemary appreciate some drying out between waterings.
When to Water
Water seedlings more often than houseplants as their soil surface dries. Because the seeds sit on the surface, they’re extremely susceptible to drying out. Misters, watering cans, and spray bottles are all handy tools to have near your propagation station.
Don’t let seedlings dry out; their tender roots quickly wither and die without consistent moistness. Some seeds benefit from surface sowing, where they sit on top of the soil to access light for germination. Use a mister or spray bottle to moisten them, avoiding moving them around with strong streams.
How Much to Water
Most seeds need little moisture to maintain moistness. They don’t need thorough soakings like houseplants unless their soil is dry in the containers. Add enough moisture so that the dirt is moist, not soggy. It should feel like a wrung-out sponge.
Outdoor seedlings often need more moistness than indoor ones. Keep a close eye on your budding seeds, so you know which ones to target before they’re too dry.
Cacti
Cacti are tough! They originate in regions with dry sand, intense heat, and little moisture. Because of these habitats, they evolved with awesome adaptations that allow them to survive long periods of heat, drought, or cold.
Overwater cacti, and they’ll hate it! Their roots quickly rot, causing aboveground symptoms like yellowing skin, mushy flesh, and a lack of new growth. They prefer underwatering; they rarely die from a lack of moisture.
When to Water
In February, cactus plants begin to grow again as spring arrives, meaning they require more water than they did during the winter. The lengthening days convince them that the growing season is coming—it’s time for them to push out new growth.
Irrigate cacti once their soil dries near the bottom of their containers. Unlike seedlings and houseplants, you want to let them dry thoroughly to prevent root rot. Cacti roots pull up moisture if it’s present; they don’t have a way to block the flow. They soak it up and begin to rot when there’s too much in the soil.
How Much to Water
Though cacti prefer breaks between waterings, they appreciate a good soaking when you irrigate. Add plenty of moistness so that the dirt is wet throughout the container.
One way to prevent root rot is to use well-drained soil. Grow cacti in a sandy, gritty mix for best results. When excess moisture falls into the dirt, it’ll drain away from the gravelly mix, and your cacti will be safe from the excess.
Bulbs
Bulbs, corms, and rhizomes are underground plant structures that allow species to stay dormant underneath the dirt while conditions are less than desirable. Some species lie dormant during the winter, and they emerge in summer, while others are summer dormant and emerge in early winter.
No matter which types of bulbs you plan on cultivating, you’ll want to ensure you grant them the conditions they prefer. Winter dormant bulbs need dry, cool conditions to thrive in the cool months, while summer dormant ones need moist, cold conditions in the winter. Both types prefer consistent moisture while they’re actively growing.
When to Water
Summer dormant bulbs begin to emerge from December through March. Types like daffodils, tulips, and snowdrops require consistent watering in February to thrive. Winter dormant types, like gladiolus, tuberous begonias, and lilies, need dry, cool cultures this month.
You may moisten winter dormant bulbs now if you plan on forcing them to bloom early. Some types, like oriental lilies, bloom late in summer. Plant them in indoor pots this month and moisten them well to convince them to sprout early. Then, transplant them outdoors after the danger of frost passes in spring.
How Much to Water
The soil around your bulbs should be moist but not soggy. Sogginess causes the bulbs to rot, leading to fewer flowers in your garden! Moisten the site so it’s as wet as a wrung-out sponge. When you grasp the soil and squeeze it, water should seep out.
Container specimens are more at risk of overwatering than in-ground ones, especially if they sit in a high-water holding medium. Use the finger test to see if they’re wet under the surface, and only irrigate if it’s dry below.
Winter Crops
Some crops like cabbage, beets, and mustard perform well during the winter! They like cool temperatures and occasional frosts common in parts of North America during February.
I live in the Pacific Northwest, where cabbage overwinters and tastes better for it! This month is also perfect for planting peas, potato tubers, and arugula. These crops need moisture to thrive—if natural rainfall is low, you may have to add additional water to compensate.
When to Water
Irrigate outdoor crops in the morning during the cool months. This helps their roots thaw after frosty nights, and it avoids excessive freezing as some of the moisture dissipates during the day. Irrigate at night, and your crops will be at risk of ice or frost damage.
It’s also a good idea to irrigate winter crops when their soil dries on top. Don’t let them dry completely, as thirsty plants suffer in winter more than those with sufficient moistness around their roots.
How Much to Water
Winter crops appreciate consistent moistness. A little or a lot of irrigation may be necessary, depending on how wet your February is. If there are lots of wet storms, you’ll have to do very little.
Snowfall is another concern. It often acts as a mulch, warming and insulating crop roots below the cover. Ensure the soil is moist underneath the snow so your plants stay turgid, healthy, and strong despite the weather.
