Local Gardening Tips

Monthly

January

Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

February

Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

March

Plant dormant, hardy container and balled and burlapped plants
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Remove winter mulch, lightly cultivate soil if thawed
Prune out winter damage
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables (asparagus, rhubarb etc.)
Plant seedlings of cool-season vegetables
Sow seeds for cool- and warm-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

April

Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

May

Set out cool-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Divide and replant crowded winter- and spring-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to shrubs and vines
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant balled-and-burlapped trees
Plant trees in containers
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

June

Divide and transplant spring-flowering perennials that have finished blooming
Harden off and plant seedlings of warm-weather vegetables and flowers
Thin out small green fruits on apple, peach and plum trees to one every 6 inches on the branch
Sow seeds of perennials directly into the ground
Dust potato plants to prevent infestations of potato beetle
Pinch newest shoots on geranium plants to encourage fuller plants
Train your lawn to grow deep roots; Mow often, at a high setting
Plant balled-and-burlapped and container shrubs and trees
Feed roses as the first flower buds appear; apply fungicide to prevent powdery mildew or blackspot
Weed asparagus and strawberry beds
Feed young corn plants with high-nitrogen fish emulsion fertilizer
Mulch flower and vegetable gardens to conserve water during heat waves

July

Remove annuals with stunted or unusual color; these are usually virus infected and the disease can spread to neighboring healthy plants
To control disease on fruit trees, maintain a summer spray schedule
Clean hummingbird feeders filled with nectar solution regularly to ward off mold and bacteria
Consider drip irrigation and/or soaker hoses for watering in the flowerbed and vegetable garden
Bats help control mosquitoes; attract these friendly mammals with bat houses
Muskmelons and cantaloupes are ready for picking when the stem "slips" easily from the fruit with gentle pressure
Harvest veggies as soon as they're ripe to encourage additional production
Sharp mower blades prevent leaf blade damage and lawn stress
Prevent diseases on susceptible rose varieties: apply fungicide every 7-10 days
Lanky annuals need your help! Pinch them back now to encourage bushy growth and more flowers

August

Sow seeds of fall vegetables
Order peonies for fall planting
Divide and transplant bearded iris
Plan perennial beds for fall and winter color with ornamental grasses, fall-blooming bulbs and hardy heaths and heathers
Harvest vegetables continuously to stretch their season
Sprinkle compost starter to speed up composting for fall soil building
Prune summer-blooming shrubs (hydrangea, clethra, caryopteris) after flowers finish
Plant garlic now for spring harvests
Look forward to something different next spring: try alliums in your bulb garden
Enjoy a case of the late summer "blues" with a palette of hardy ageratum, caryopteris, fall asters and reblooming iris in your planting schemes

September

Set out transplants of cool-weather vegetables Plant winter-hardy pansies and fall annuals (calendula, dianthus, ornamental cabbage and kale)
Plant tag teams of perennials and spring-blooming bulbs that will complement each other or bloom in sequence next season
Water trees and shrubs when rainfall is scarce to "winterize" them
Dethatch and aerate the lawn
Dehead chrysanthemum plants to keep flower buds forming through the fall
Clean out rose beds; apply fungicide; leave hips for winter color and bird food
Prune summer-bearing raspberries
Mow back strawberry plants; remove weeds and remulch
Move tender houseplants, etc. indoors after rinsing and repotting, and set up a grow light to supplement natural light

October

Start fall compost pile
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Protect roses for winter
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees

November

Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

December

Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water living Christmas trees (ice cubes work well)
Prechill tulips and hyacinths for forcing indoors

Fall Planting

Fall Maintenance

Dig, divide, re-plant overcrowded perennials that have finished flowering. Daylily, agapanthus, penstemon, yarrow, coreopsis, alstromeria, Shasta daisy, lamb's ears
Plant late-season perennials or move and rearrange old one to improve your planting plan. Group plants according to water needs as well as sun requirements
Start cutting cool-season grasses higher, leaving about 4 inches
Cut peonies down to the ground to prevent botrytis disease and discard foliage
Leave dahlias in the ground until a frost has blackened the leaves. Then dig and store them in peat moss
Put ground agricultural limestone on the soil around lilacs
Gather leaves for composting. Mix green and dry materials and dry materials and alternate with thin layers of soil to compost for more rapid decompositions
Summer’s tomatoes are finishing up. Some gardeners pick the leaves off the tomato plants to expose the tomatoes to a bit more sun. Cover if an early frost should happen.
Start or repair cool-season lawns. Overseed warm season lawns with cool season grass. Feed cool season lawns to support their growth in the fall
Feed new flower and vegetable plants with liquid fertilizer two weeks after planting them
Continue to pick up fallen, decomposing fruit that could harbor insects and pests
Cacti and other succulents, such as jade plants and sedums, do best in a sunny south or west window during the winter. They can tolerate cool temperatures, but you may want to move more-tender foliage plants away from cold windows.
House plant growth slows as the days get shorter and light intensity is reduced. This means that they will need less frequent watering and fertilizing until next spring. Too much of either in the winter months can cause weak growth.
Don't allow leaves to accumulate on the lawn. Rake them up regularly, and store in a pile for use as mulch in your garden next summer. If leaves accumulate on your lawn and become matted down by rain, they may kill the grass.
You can help leaves break down more easily by running a lawn mover back and forth over the pile. Put the shredded leaves directly onto the garden or compost pile.
Autumn is a good time for improving your garden soil. Add manure, compost, and leaves to increase the organic matter content. Before adding lime to your soil, have your soil tested to determine if your soil is acidic and needs lime.
Late-fall tilling can help control insects, such as corn borer, corn earworm, cucumber beetle, squash bug, and vine borer, because it exposes overwintering insects to winter conditions. It also makes spring soil preparation easier.
Mulches applied too early can do more harm than good. A mulch is used to keep soil temperatures constant and prevent frost heaving, not keep it warm. Therefore, it is best not to mulch until the soil temperature has reached the freezing point.
Cut down stems and foliage of herbaceous perennials when the leaves begin to brown.
Bring in cannas, dahlias, and gladioli, if not hardy in your area, after the tops are browned by frost. Allow to dry, clean off soil, and store in peat moss or vermiculite in a cool location free from frost.
Garden tools add up to a large financial investment. Take care of tools so they need not be replaced. Bring all your gardening tools inside. Clean them off. With proper care, quality tools can last you a lifetime.
Fall is a good time for moving plants. Transplant deciduous trees and shrubs when they are dormant. Evergreen trees or shrubs, however, may be transplanted earlier in the fall, before they go dormant.
Water evergreens thoroughly before the ground freezes. Evergreens continue to lose water by transpiring during the winter, but when the ground is frozen they cannot replenish the water.
During fall, demand for garden supplies is low, so keep an eye open for special prices on hand tools and power equipment to be given as gifts or used next year.

Weed and Pest Control

Control slugs, snails by removing their hiding places; clean up leaf litter.

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