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What To Do This Month in the Garden
January
- Clean and sharpen garden tools, lawn mower blade.
- Check perennials for frost heave; tamp and mulch if needed.
- Remove late-falling leaves.
- Remove snow from evergreen branches.
- Water stressed foundation shrubs and plants if little rain.
February
- Remove leaves and debris from perennial beds and shrub borders.
- Apply thin layer of compost to shrubs after slow-release fertilizer.
- Prune roses, evergreens and summer-blooming shrubs.
- Cut back ornamental grasses, like liriope, to 1/4 height.
- Remove suckers and crossing branches from crape myrtles.
March
- Amend soil if needed. (Do a Soil Test first!)
- Divide and transplant perennials.
- Plant strawberries, roses, vines and ground covers.
- Patch bare spots and plant cool season grass seed.
- Prune summer-blooming shrubs.
April
- Continue to plant cool-season crops, like broccoli, snap peas and lettuce
- De-thatch and aerate warm-season grasses (Bermuda, Zoysia).
- Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they bloom, if needed. (Refer to Shrub pruning calendar and Shrub pruning guide.)
- Apply broadleaf weed control to lawn, but do not fertilize.
- Apply slow-release or organic fertilizer, if needed.
May
- Care for roses by deadheading, fertilizing and watering with a soaker hose to prevent water getting on leaves which can cause disease.
- Begin planting warm-season vegetables (tomatoes, squash, peppers and cucumbers) about mid-month.
- Plant annual plants, summer bulbs and tubers to provide summer and fall color.
- Dig and divide spring-flowering bulbs after leaves yellow and wilt. Immediately replant or store in a cool place for fall planting
June
- Dig, divide and replant crowded spring-flowering bulbs.
- Mulch trees and shrubs (1″-3″ deep); keep mulch away from trunks.
- Look for brown patch in lawn and treat.
- Fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after blooming, if needed.
- Look for pests and disease; treat as needed.
July
- Deadhead summer-blooming plants.
- Remove water sprouts and suckers from the base of crape myrtles and fruit trees.
- Monitor soil moisture, especially around shallow-rooted trees and shrubs.
- Water plants and lawns deeply if less than 1″ rain per week.
- Inspect plants for pests and disease; treat as needed.
August
- Keep lawn at 3″ height; leave grass clippings.
- Water plants and lawns deeply if less than 1″ rain per week.
- Cut back aggressive vines (especially ivy) that are overgrown.
- Continue to weed and deadhead flowering plants.
- Inspect plants for fungal problems, pests and other disease; treat as needed.
September
- Add compost to gardens before fall planting.
- Plant cool-season vegetables (broccoli, kale, cabbage, lettuce, arugula, spinach, cauliflower).
- Aerate, fertilize and over-seed cool-season lawns, or start new cool-season lawn from seed.
- Divide perennials like hostas, liriope and daylilies, if needed.
- Fall is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs!
October
- Continue to divide and transplant perennials.
- Plant spring-blooming bulbs at the end of the month.
- Plant shrubs and trees.
- Cut peonies, phlox and other herbaceous perennials to the ground at first frost.
- Pull up and compost frost-damaged annuals.
November
- Replenish mulch (2″-3″ deep) around tender plants.
- Keep leaves off the lawn to prevent smothering the grass. Leaves may be mulched and used around trees and shrubs.
- Plant shrubs and trees.
- Continue watering if less than 1″ rain per week.
- Store pesticides and herbicides safely.
December
- Continue leaf removal and mulch them if possible.
- Prune tall flowering perennials after flowers die. May leave the seed heads for the birds.
- Remember to water foundation plants if needed.
- Drain and store hoses at the end of the month.
- Remove snow from branches before freezing, to prevent breakage.