Late February is a good time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control. Pre-emergent herbicides must be activated with to 1 inch of water, either from rainfall or by irrigation. Check the crowns of Bermuda to ensure it has not started to green up. Avoid drift onto nearby evergreen plants. In the garden Now is the time to add organic matter and till it into the garden soil.
Organic matter adds nutrients, improves tilth and stabilizes soil moisture levels.
Cool-season vegetables such as cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, Swiss chard, head lettuce, leaf lettuce, onions, English peas, potatoes, spinach and turnips should be planted as soon as possible. The soil temperature 1 to 2 inches deep should be at least 40 degrees for several days for proper germination of cool-season vegetables. You can check the soil temperature in the morning with a candy or meat thermometer. If you have not had a soil analysis recently, a starter fertilizer should be applied. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age or disabilities and is a Equal Opportunity Employer.