17 Plants to Plant in February: Herbs and Vegetables

Let’s talk about the plants to plant in February

The chill of winter still hangs in the air, but beneath those snow flurries or grey clouds, the soil is beginning to wake up. As a gardener, you can feel it – spring is stirring. Now is the perfect time to feed that urge to dig your hands into the earth again by prepping and to sow seeds an early vegetable garden.

I’m sure you’re as eager as I am to watch your first seedlings burst through the soil and unfurl their tiny green leaves. But what exactly can you plant in February or early March? Getting a head start on spring planting takes a bit of planning, protection, and, most importantly, choosing the right robust plants and cold-hardy vegetables and herbs for a successful garden.

So grab your trowel and seed packets! This post will explore the best plants to start in February for a bountiful spring harvest. From arugula and radishes, which bring delightful early produce within weeks, to onion sets, which establish their roots before growing big and strong, you’ll learn everything you need to know to build a productive late winter garden.

I don’t know about you, but I’m yearning for signs of new growth and greenery. Let’s dive into February’s top plants to make the most of this transitional gardening season together! 

1. The Hardy Peas – An Early Spring Reward

Sweet peas are one of my absolute favorite veggies. 

One of the earliest crops you can directly sow now is garden peas. As a cool weather-loving vegetable, they will germinate in soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees F – meaning no need to wait for warmer weather! Once established, peas can even handle a few spring snowfalls and freeze.

Some top pea varieties I’d recommend are Oregon Giant, Green Arrow, and Maestro. Place your seedlings along a trellis or fence so they have something sturdy to cling and climb up as they grow. If you’re eager for a fresh spring taste, you could enjoy crisp snap peas straight from the vine in just two months with a February sowing.

As peas produce their sweet pods, they also improve the soil at their roots thanks to a handy trait called nitrogen fixation. This makes them a great companion to plant alongside heavy nitrogen-feeding crops like tomatoes and corn that will be sown later. It’s a clever two-for-one value for both your spring meals and enriching your garden for the future!

2. Onions – Pungent Bulbs With a Long Growth Season

You may not think of onions as an early spring vegetable. Still, they have a long growing period of 4-5 months from planting to harvest. That makes late winter an ideal time to get them started in the garden so they can reach full maturity in the summer warmth. 

Onions give you options when it comes to planting methods, too. You can sow onion seeds directly in the garden, tuck in onion sets just below the soil surface, or transplant onion seedlings if you start them indoors. Each onion planted will grow into a good-sized bulb come mid-summer.

Varietal options for hardy onions include Ailsa Craig Exhibition, Stuttgarter, and Paris Silverskin. I’m partial to sweet Vidalia onions myself! But look to your growing zone to find out which varieties you can successfully plant in your region. Once you have chosen your varieties and are ready to grow your vegetable seeds, amend the soil with compost or aged manure to give this root crop the nutrient richness it craves.

While growing, onions prefer consistent moisture and weed-free beds. Their shallow roots can’t compete well with other plants. Mulch well around your onion crop to retain water and discourage weeds.

3. Garlic – The Aromatic Bulb

For home gardeners in colder regions, February is the last call for planting garlic this season. The bulbs require about eight months of cool-weather growth before they are ready to harvest in late summer.

When planting, choose plump, healthy garlic cloves from organic sources whenever possible. Separate the head into individual cloves, keeping the papery skin intact around each one. Plant the cloves root-side down about 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart in rows.

Some stellar garlic varieties to try are Music, Spanish Roja, and Georgian Crystal. To give the developing bulbs a nutritional boost, amend the soil with some compost. 

Once established, garlic needs about an inch of water per week, either from rain or irrigation—mulch around p