Gardening Calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
January Garden Calendar
January is a time of preparation and preventative maintenance in the garden. Browse catalogs, dream of what your garden can become, and do a few things outside on the warmer days.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Pick up and discard fallen fruit before spring arrives.
• As nursery catalogs begin to arrive, look for plants with improved insect and disease resistance.
• Order fruit trees
Flowers
• Peruse seed catalogs and prepare your seed order.
• Things you can start: For spring flowers, get unplanted spring bulbs in the ground as soon as possible.
o Start seeds throughout the winter, depending on growing requirements.
o Water fall-planted perennials to prevent dry soil conditions.
• Watch for signs of frost heaving and cover tender roots.
• Replace mulch layers.
• Check bulbs in storage for rot and decay. Discard damaged ones.
• Curl up with a good book and learn more about gardening.
Lawns
• Avoid walking on frozen lawns. It may injure the grass.
• Rake fallen leaves that pile up on the lawn to prevent suffocation of grass.
• Scatter snow instead of piling it up on the lawn next to drives and walks.
Trees and Shrubs
• Snow and ice on limbs:
o Gently brush heavy snow from tree and shrub limbs to reduce damage.
o Allow ice to melt naturally from limbs. Do not use water to melt the ice or attempt to knock it off.
• Pruning:
o Prune storm damaged limbs quickly to reduce damage and prevent tearing of the bark.
o Avoid the temptation to prune on warm winter day. You'll prevent further damage.
• Bring twigs of flowering trees and shrubs indoors to force blossoms.
• Water fall-planted trees and shrubs when soil is dry but not frozen.
• Watch out for rabbit damage to the bark of trees and shrubs.
Miscellaneous
• Clean and repair garden tools during the winter.
• Sand and seal tool handles to prevent splinters. Apply brightly colored paint to handles.
It makes them easier to spot in the garden.
• Keep bird feeders and water supplies filled for the feathered friends.
• Evaluate the garden and make notes to assist in next year's planning.
• Take photos of the garden and analyze for year-round interest.
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February Garden Calendar
Even if it is still cold outside, plants are getting ready for spring. Finish up the garden planning and work on completing a few more outdoor tasks before the garden gets really busy. February is a also a good time to give houseplants a little TLC.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Draw garden layouts to assist with the planning process.
• Review garden notes about successes and failure in the garden.
• Order seeds for spring planting.
• Select varieties and order new fruit trees.
• Take a soil test if one has not been done the last five years.
• Start broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage transplants.
• Prune:
o Fruit trees like apples, pears and cherries.
o Peach and nectarines just prior to bloom time.
o Grapes, raspberries, and blackberries.
• Incorporate manure or compost into garden areas for soil improvement.
• Avoid working the soil when it is wet.
• Check dates on stored seed packets. Sprout a few from each packet in a moist paper towel.
Discard packets with poor results.
Flowers
• Start seeds for transplanting in the spring.
• Check fall planted perennials and water if needed.
• Watch for frost heaving of tender perennials and cover if needed.
• Replenish winter mulch around roses and other plants.
• Check bulbs in storage and discard if rotted.
• Prepare catalog orders.
Lawns
• To prevent lawn suffocation, rake fallen leaves.
• Review lawn service contracts and make changes.
• Tune up and repair the mower to get a jump on the season.
• Avoid injury to the lawn when the soil is frozen by keeping foot traffic to a minimum.
Trees and Shrubs
• Check for rabbit damage on young trees and shrubs.
• Water fall-planted trees, shrubs, and evergreens if the soil is dry and not frozen.
• Apply dormant oil for control of scale and mites.
• Prune:
o Begin spring pruning. However, do not prune spring flowering trees and shrubs until after bloom.
o Cut twigs and branches of spring shrubs and bring them indoors to add a splash of spring color.
• Carefully remove snow from limbs with a broom.
• On warm days, prepare garden soil for early planting.
Houseplants
• Check plants for insects, mites or other problems and treat as needed.
• Withhold fertilization until spring arrives.
• Remove dust build up on plants by placing in the shower and washing off.
• Water as needed, avoid letting roots set in water.
• Keep plants out of hot or cold drafts.
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March Garden Calendar
This month brings us the official first day of spring, longer days, and more time to work in the evening with daylight savings time. Get ready for the full rush as your lawn and garden break out of their winter dormancy.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Prepare soil for spring planting.
• It is best to perform a soil test before fertilizing to determine needs. If there are no soil test results,
fertilize the garden with 1 to 2 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet.
• Plant:
o Potatoes, peas, onions, lettuce and other salad crops.
o Asparagus, rhubarb, and strawberries.
o Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage in late March.
• Start seeds inside for tomatoes, peppers, and other warm season vegetables.
• Apply dormant oil to fruit plantings to reduce scale and mite insects.
• Make a fungicide application to control peach leaf curl.
• Finish pruning fruit trees, grapes, raspberries, and blackberries.
• Remove mulch from strawberries when growth begins.
Flowers
• Plant pansies, snapdragons, calendulas, and other cool loving annuals.
• Clean up the perennial bed by cutting back foliage and removing winter mulch layer. Divide and plant
perennials in the garden.
• If dry, prepare soil for planting by adding compost or other organic matter.
• As growth begins, fertilize gardens with a balanced fertilizer.
• Start seeds indoors under lights for transplanting to the garden.
• Plant new roses. Remove winter mulch from existing roses and prune.
• Cut ornamental grasses back to within 3 to 5 inches of the ground.
• Fertilize spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils.
• Cut seed pods from spent bulbs.
• Help control iris borers by destroying old foliage before new growth begins.
• Unwrap mail order plants immediately and keep them cool and moist until planting.
Lawns
• Spot spray for dandelions, henbit, and chickweed.
• Apply crabgrass preventer in late March through mid April for best results.
• Seed thin areas in bluegrass and tall fescue lawns.
• If no fall application of fertilizer was made, fertilize bluegrass and tall fescue.
• Mow grass ½ inch lower to remove winter debris. Do not scalp.
Trees and Shrubs
• Pruning:
o Prune trees, except birch, maple, and walnut, which are best pruned after leafing out.
o Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs until after they bloom.
• Mulch tree and shrub plantings up to 4 inches deep, keeping mulch away from trunks.
• Fertilize trees and shrubs.
• Plant new trees in the landscape.
• Remove tree wraps from young trees for summer growth.
• Rake and clean groundcover planting.
Miscellaneous
• Sharpen and repair garden tools.
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April Garden Calendar
Warmer weather, and hopefully April showers, will really get the garden growing. Take advantage of this month to clean up and refresh the landscape, get compost and mulch worked in, and start planting. Just be on the lookout for late frosts!
Vegetables and Fruits
• Start fruit tree spray schedule when growth begins
• Plant carrots, onions, beets and other salad crops in early April
• Thin radishes, beets and carrots as needed
• Harvest asparagus until spear size decreases.
• Prune fruit trees if not already done
• Plant new fruit trees
• Plant asparagus and rhubarb
• Remove mulch from strawberry bed
• Prune raspberry and blackberry plantings
• Do not spray insecticides while fruits flower in order to protect the honeybees
• Plant beans, corn, vine crops in late April
• Cultivate to control seedling weed growth
• Turn the compost pile after a long winter rest
• Transplant broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage in the garden
• Fertilize vegetable garden before planting and incorporate
Flowers
• Remove winter mulch from perennial garden
• Cut back last year's growth from perennials
• Remove seed heads from spring bulbs
• Do not remove foliage from spring flowering bulbs, as growth is needed for next year's flowers
• Fertilize spring flowering bulbs
• Add organic matter such as compost before planting new flowers
• Divide perennials
• Plant new roses
• Prune rose bushes
• Fertilize rose bushes for spring growth
• Plant annuals from seed and transplants
Lawns
• Apply crabgrass control by mid month
• Mow lawn as needed, bluegrass 2", tall fescue 3"
• Fertilize cool season lawns with slow release nitrogen fertilizer
• Do not fertilize zoysia this early in Spring, nutrients go to weeds not dormant grass
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, henbit, and chickweed
• Check mower and make needed repairs before season begins
• Sharpen mower blade
• No need to catch grass clippings if mowing frequently
• Do not water unless extremely dry, early irrigation sets turf up as high water user in summer
Trees and Shrubs
• Prune spring flowering shrubs such forsythia and lilac after flowering
• Prune trees as needed, and repair winter storm damage
• Topping is not pruning; never top a tree
• Plant new trees and shrubs
• Remove grass from base of young trees and shrubs to prevent lawn mower and line trimmer damage
• Apply mulch layer around plants
• Keep new trees and shrubs watered
• Fertilize young trees to promote growth
House Plants
• Remove winter dust from leaves by gently rinsing with room temperature water
• Repot as needed, increase pot size by 1"
• Leach excess fertilizers from soil with water
• Begin summer fertilization of plants
• Do not move plants outside until night temperatures remain over 60 degrees
• Propagate houseplants by cuttings or divisions
• Fertilize amaryllis and keep in bright light to encourage new leaves
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May Garden Calendar
Blooming flowers and healthy grass are signs of one of the best months for gardening in Kansas. Wildlife, bird, and insect activity also picks up this time of year.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Plant tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants in early May
• Seed sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, beans, and other warm season vegetables
• Lightly cultivate soil with a hoe to control weed growth
• Mound soil around potato plants to encourage tuber formation
• Harvest fresh asparagus until the spear size decreases
• Remove rhubarb seed stalks to encourage leaf growth
• Plant kitchen herbs for summer use in dishes or food preservation
• Treat fruit trees with needed pesticides to control insects and disease
• Thin heavy fruit set on apples to increase fruit size and next year's crop
Flowers
• Plant annual flowers for summer color
• Continue to plant and divide perennials
• Mulch perennial and annual gardens for weed control and moisture retention
• Begin pinching chrysanthemums for bushier plants
• Do not remove foliage from spring bulbs until it dies down naturally, this develops stronger blooms
for next year
• Plant container gardens and hanging baskets using a good quality potting mix
• Keep a garden journal for permanent reference
Lawns
• Reduce thatch layers from zoysia by verticutting or core aerating
• Sod or sprig zoysia lawns to fill in bare areas
• Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen to promote green up and summer growth
• Mow zoysia at 1 to 2 inches tall
• Apply slow release nitrogen fertilizer to bluegrass and tall fescue to promote summer growth if watering
during the summer. Lower maintenance lawns skip this application
• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue at 3 inches
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds
• Withhold early summer watering until needed to promote more drought tolerant lawns
Trees and Shrubs
• Plant new trees and shrubs
• Prune spring flowering shrubs after bloom to shape plant and encourage flowers next year
• Mulch around young trees and shrubs to conserve moisture and control weed growth
• Water young ornamentals as needed
• Remove tree wraps for summer growth
• Remove tree stakes that have been in place more than one growing season
• Fertilize trees to help increase growth rates
• Caution, use line trimmers around trees and shrubs so as not to damage tender bark
Houseplants
• Move plants outdoors for summer by gradually increasing the exposure to sunlight
• Fertilize plants to promote summer development
• Rotate plants to develop a well-rounded plant
• Wash dusty leaves in the shower under room temperature water
• Four to six inch cuttings are a great way to start new plants, root in potting mix under low light
• Repot plants into a one-inch larger pot
• Check for insects
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June Garden Calendar
Summer brings the lazy, hazy days. With the spring cleanup and planting done, June is a time for simple maintenance and enjoyment of the lawn and landscape.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Renovate June bearing strawberry beds
• Fertilize strawberries and water regularly to promote new growth
• Plant another crop of sweet corn and green beans
• Watch tomatoes for foliar leaf disease development and treat
• Mulch crops for moisture conservation and weed control
• Continue a regular fruit disease and insect control program
• Treat peach trees for trunk borers
• Remove sucker growth from base of trees and along branches
• Pinch herbs to keep bushy and fresh with new growth
• Turn compost pile and keep moist for a quicker breakdown
Flowers
• Pinch chrysanthemums for development of a bushy plant
• Deadhead spent flower blossoms to keep plant flowering
• Remove flower stalks from peonies and iris
• Mulch flower gardens for the summer to conserve moisture, control weeds and cool the soil
• Water plants as needed
• Fertilize roses with about 1 cup of low analysis fertilizer per plant
• Trim spent rose blossoms
• Check plants for insects
• Remove dead foliage from spring bulbs
• Water and fertilize container plantings regularly to encourage growth and flowering
Lawns
• Raise mowing height on bluegrass and tall fescue to 3" or 3 ½" for summer heat resistance
• Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen fertilizer such as 27-3-3
• Sod or plug bare areas in zoysia lawns
• Spot treat for broadleaf weeds
Core aerate zoysia lawns for removal of thatch and overall vigor
• Let grass clippings fall for nutrient recycling
• Water the turf sparingly to increase drought tolerance during heat of summer. Let turf wilt between watering
for best results
• Check mower blade for sharpness and sharpen as needed
• Check lawn mower engine oil and add or change according to owners' manual
Trees and Shrubs
• Check for bagworms and control as needed
• Mulch around the bases of trees and shrubs to conserve moisture
• Prune pines and spruces to shape and control size
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs as needed
• Prune spring flowering shrubs
• Do not damage tree trunks with mowers and weed whips
• Check for spider mite damage on various shrubs
• Clip hedges as needed to maintain shape
Houseplants
• Fertilizer throughout the summer months to encourage growth
• Wash leaves to remove dust
• Take cuttings to start new plants
• Prune and shape plants for added beauty
• Repot plants as needed in 1" larger containers
• Check for insect problems
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July Garden Calendar
As the heat picks up, so do pest problems and water needs. Take a little extra care of your plants this month to get them through.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Harvest fruits of your labor and enjoy
• Control weed growth to preserve water and nutrients
• Fertilize vegetables to encourage plant development
• Watch for foliar disease development on lower tomato leaves and treat with a fungicide
• Prepare for fall gardening. Plant potatoes, broccoli, and other fall crops
• Spray sweet corn to control corn earworms as silks emerge
• Be on the lookout for pests of the garden and control
• Remove old raspberry canes after harvest
Flowers
• Remove faded flowers from annuals to stimulate more flowers for late summer color, and from
perennials to prevent reseeding
• Keep gardens well mulched
• Cut fresh bouquets for enjoyment on hot summer days
• Lightly fertilize annuals to promote growth
• Dig, divide, and replant crowded irises
• Fertilize roses for fall blossoms
• Fertilize and water container gardens
• Complete the final pinching of chrysanthemum tips for bushier plants
Lawns
• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue around 3 to 3 1/2 inches
• Mow zoysia at 1 1/2 inches
• Fertilize zoysia to encourage summer growth with a high nitrogen fertilizer. Let grass clippings fall to
return nutrients to soil and grass
• Be on the lookout for summer diseases such as brown patch
• Watch for grubs. If they begin to hatch, an insecticide may be required. Apply in late July or early August.
• Keep mower blades sharpened
• Replace lawn mower air filter and change lawn mower oil per owner's manual
• Prepare to control perennial grassy weeds such as zoysia, fescue, and nimblewill
• Take a soil test to prepare for fall lawn renovation
• Water deeply and less often for deep roots and a healthy lawn
Trees and Shrubs
• Water newly planted shrubs and young trees (planted within the last three to five years) during dry weather
• Keep plants mulched to conserve moisture and cool roots
• Remove sucker growth from the base of trees and along branches
• Prune diseased, dead, or hazardous limbs
Miscellaneous
• Water weekly by deeply soaking the soil. Use surface irrigation and avoid watering late at night to help
reduce disease development.
• Take photos of gardens
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August Garden Calendar
Summer in Kansas: Yes, your plants can survive! Keep giving them the care they need to make it through and enjoy the blooms of tough perennial flowers.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Water about 1 inch per week
• Plant a fall garden, beets, carrots, beans, and turnips for autumn harvest
• Plant transplants of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage for fall production
• Harvest crops on a regular basis for season long production
• Ease fruit loads on branches by propping with wooden supports
• Net ripening fruit to protect from hungry birds
• Fertilize strawberry bed for added flower bud development
• Turn compost pile and add water when dry
Flowers
• Apply 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week to gardens
• Divide irises and daylilies during this dormant period
• Make last application of fertilizer to roses by mid month
• Control black spot and other rose diseases
• Fertilize mums, hardy asters, and other fall blooming perennials
• Deadhead annuals to encourage late season blossoms
• Cut back and fertilize annuals to produce new growth and fall blooms
• Sow hollyhocks, poppies, and larkspur for spring blooms
• Prepare for fall bulb planting by making orders or researching varieties
• Take cuttings from geraniums and begonias for wintering indoors
Lawns
• Water bluegrass one to two times, per week, applying a total of about 1-½ inches of water
• Water tall fescue one to two times, per week, applying a total of 1 inch of water
• Apply last application of fertilizer to zoysia by mid month
• Be on the look out for grubs and apply proper control methods
• Start planning for fall renovation projects such as aerating and seeding
• Check sharpness of mower blades and repair
• Mow turf, as needed depending on summer growth
• Destroy unwanted zoysia and Bermuda
• Take a soil test to determine a fertility program
Trees and Shrubs
• Water young trees every 1 to 2 weeks by thoroughly soaking the root system
• Prune and shape hedges
• Check mulch layers and add if needed
• Prune broken, dead or crossing limbs for healthier plants
• Check young trees and shrubs for girdling wires, and ropes from planting
• Avoid fertilizing ornamentals now so they harden off before winter
• Hand-remove bagworms
Houseplants
• Water houseplants regularly and fertilize to promote growth
• Check plants for insects such as scales, aphids, and spider mites
• Wash plants to remove dust layers
• Make cuttings and repot plants before summer sun slips away
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September Garden Calendar
September is the time for cool-season lawn care. Devote some energy there to get your lawn back into shape. Fall-blooming perennials will start to turn on their colors also.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Continue to harvest vegetables
• Pick apples and pears and store in a cool place to extend freshness
• Harvest pumpkins when flesh is completely orange and avoid carrying by stem
• Harvest winter squash when rind is hard enough to puncture with fingernail
• Plant lettuce, spinach, and radishes
• Remove weeds from garden plantings before going to seed
• Herbs can be dug from garden and placed in pots for indoor use this winter
• Remove small tomatoes from their vines to increase late development of more mature fruits
Flowers
• Plant spring flowering bulbs, tulips, daffodils, and others
• Dig, divide, or plant peonies
• Divide perennials, especially spring bloomers
• Remove seed heads from perennials to prevent reseeding in the garden
• Plant chrysanthemums for fall color
• Dig gladiolus as foliage begins to yellow and air-dry before storing for winter
• Clean up garden areas to reduce insects and disease as plants dieback for winter
• Enrich soil by adding organic matter such as peat moss or compost
Lawns
• Plant or sod new bluegrass or tall fescue lawns
• Renovate bluegrass or tall fescue lawns by verticutting
• Core aerate cool season turf
• Fertilize cool season grasses with high nitrogen sources of fertilizer
• Mow turf at 2 to 3 inches and sharpen blade for a clean cut
Trees and Shrubs
• Plant trees and shrubs, deciduous and evergreen
• Rake up fallen leaves and compost
• Prune broken and dead branches from trees
• Avoid pruning spring flowering shrubs such as lilac and forsythia to ensure spring flowers
• Hand-pick bagworms to reduce problem in future
Houseplants
• Bring plants in before temperatures drop into the fifties
• Clean and wash before moving indoors to reduce insects
• Fertilize before winter conditions arrive and growth slows
• Poinsettias can be forced into Christmas bloom by starting dark treatment of short days
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October Garden Calendar
Shorter days and cooler nights mean the leaves will turn and fall from trees. Take advantage of the weather to plant trees, shrubs, spring-flowering bulbs, and mums.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Plant garlic cloves for next summer's harvest. Fall planting gets a jump on spring conditions.
• After a light frost, dig sweet potatoes and cure them for two weeks in a warm location. Then store
in a cool, dry location for longer keeping.
• Harvest peanuts and roast for a homegrown snack.
• Pick pumpkins and winter squash. Keep in a warm area for a couple of weeks, and then store in a cool,
dry location.
• Till the garden at the end of the season and add organic matter such as manure or compost to improve
the soil structure.
• Make notes of successes and failures in the garden for next year.
• Remove hulls from black walnuts to retain good color of the kernels.
• Continue to harvest apples.
• Pick up and discard fallen fruit to reduce disease next year.
Flowers
• Plant spring flowering bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, and crocus, for a splash of early season color.
• Remove dead annuals from the garden.
• Trim perennial stalks to tidy the garden for winter.
• Pot bulbs for indoor forcing.
• Clean up dead iris and peony foliage and destroy it to decrease the spread of disease.
• After a light frost, dig canna, glads, dahlias and other tender bulbs for winter storage.
• Make notes about the garden to document successes and failures.
Lawns
• Continue to mow the lawn if necessary, bluegrass 2 inches, tall fescue 2½ inches.
• Core aerate turf to reduce soil compaction, improve drainage, break up thatch, and help nutrients move
into the soil.
• Control dandelions, henbit, and chickweed with a broadleaf herbicide while seedlings are young.
• Sharpen mower blade for a clean cut.
• Check oil level in your lawn mower.
• Keep fallen leaves removed from the lawn to prevent shading and dieback on grass.
Trees and Shrubs
• Plant new trees and shrubs and keep them watered during dry winter months.
• Once the leaves have fallen, transplant trees and shrubs.
• Trim dead, broken, or diseased branches from trees and shrubs.
• Enjoy fall leaf color, which normally hits it peak about the third week of October.
Miscellaneous
• Drain and store garden hoses and sprinklers for winter.
• Prepare the compost pile for winter. Add new materials and turn.
• Store unused seeds in a cool, dry location.
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November Garden Calendar
Wrap up the gardening chores, put the garden and garden tools to bed and prepare for winter. November is still a great time for planting and lawn care.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Sort apples in storage and remove spoiled fruit.
• Clean and remove fallen fruit from around trees to reduce insects and disease next year.
• Protect trunks of fruit trees from rabbit damage with tree wraps.
• Take a soil test and make needed adjustments this fall.
• Till garden soil and add organic matter.
Flowers
• Clean up the rose bed to help reduce disease next season. Cut back tall rose canes to 24 inches
to prevent winter breakage.
• Remove frost-killed annuals.
• Till annual flowerbeds and add organic matter to improve soil.
• Continue to plant spring flowering bulbs.
• Depending on your gardening style, leave or cut back perennial stalks to 4 to 6 inches.
• Apply a winter mulch to perennials and roses after several hard freezes.
Lawns
• Rake fallen leaves from the lawn to prevent winter suffocation.
• Fertilize cool season lawns, bluegrass and tall fescue, with a quick-release high-nitrogen fertilizer
to promote root development and early spring green up.
• If needed, water turf so its starts winter with ample moisture.
• Control dandelions, henbit, and chickweed before spring green up.
• Continue to mow into the fall at 2 to 3 inches.
Trees and Shrubs
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs.
• Plant new trees and shrubs.
• Rake leaves and place in compost pile.
• Check mulch layers and replenish.
• Prune dead or hazardous limbs.
• Wait to prune spring flowering trees and shrubs until after bloom.
Miscellaneous
• Clean and oil garden tools, sprayers, and other equipment. Store them for winter.
• Drain garden hoses and sprinklers and store indoors for increased life. If you decide to leave them outside,
unscrew them from the faucets.
• If fuel is to remain in power equipment, add fuel stabilizer. Otherwise, drain gas from power equipment for
winter storage. Make any needed repairs.
• Protect ornamental and fruit trees and young plants from rabbit damage by wrapping or enclosing
in wire screen.
• Start a compost pile with fall leaves.
• Turn compost pile to hasten breakdown.
• Start planning for next year.
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December Garden Calendar
With winter’s arrival, gardening is usually for the birds. On mild days, take care of missed chores. Enjoy our feathered friends, take care of the compost, and start planning for next year.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Store leftover seeds and a cool, dry location, for example, in a sealed jar placed in the refrigerator.
• Check vegetables in storage for spoilage.
• Mulch strawberries for winter protection.
• Clean and oil garden hand tools for winter.
Flowers
• Mulch roses by mounding soil 6 to 8 inches deep over the plants to protect the graft.
• Mulch perennial beds with 2 to 4 inches of straw, shredded leaves, or other lightweight material.
• Cut tall hybrid tea roses back to 18 to 24 inches to reduce wind whipping and plant damage.
• Continue to plant spring flowering bulbs until the ground is frozen. Water and mulch.
• Give plants or gift certificates as holiday gifts for gardening friends.
• Empty decorative pots and containers. Store inside or decorate for winter.
Lawns
• Pick up fallen leaves, limbs, and other debris from lawn to prevent suffocation of the turf during winter.
• Store any left over lawn fertilizers in dry location and out of reach of children and pets.
• Store pesticides in a cool (not freezing) dry location for winter, out of reach of children and pets.
Trees and Shrubs
• Keep heavy snowfall from limbs of trees and shrubs by lightly shaking to avoid damage.
• To prevent breakage, avoid shoveling snow onto trees and shrubs.
• Check and protect the trunks of young trees and branches of shrubs for rabbit damage.
• Living Christmas trees are special. Leave in your home no longer than one week, and then acclimate
to outdoors and plant in a desirable location.
• Prune damaged branches throughout the winter months.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs in winter to prevent dry soil conditions.
• Mulch roots of tender shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons to keep vigorous during winter.
• Prune branches of junipers, pines, hollies, and other plants to use as holiday decorations.
Miscellaneous
• Start planning for next year by making notes and preparing orders.
• Turn compost pile to encourage winter breakdown.
