Gardener’s Checklist

August

Dog Days of summer are here and only the strong can survive the summer heat! What is a gardener to do? It is that time when you need to pull out those plants that are wilted beyond recovery or dead. Make an assessment of what is left and plug those holes with fresh annuals or herbs. Yes, it is mid to late summer but they will provide a few months of pleasure or kitchen seasonings before frost gets here.  My brother-in-law is planting a second garden of cucumbers, turnip greens, mustard greens, and other fall veggies.

Plant

• It is time to plant your fall garden with cool temperature loving plants such as English peas, kohlrabi, turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli, onions, garlic, chard, carrots, lettuce, and spinach. It is good to plant them now so the seeds can germinate and grow while temperatures are still warm.
• If you live in the southern states you can plant a second round of tomatoes, okra, squash, cucumbers, and peppers. I have even known gardeners to plant peas and green beans in late July and early August as well.
• You still have time to sow seeds for your favorite biennials as they require more days to maturity and bloom time. You can start your seeds in nursery pots and transplant as soon as seedlings are ready in the fall. The best to plant and their days to bloom time are digitalis (foxglove) 150 days, hollyhock 365 days, sweet rocket 365 days, sweet William 365 days, rudbeckia coneflower and black-eyed Susan) 120 days . I like to start mine directly in the garden but they are easy to start in small nursery pots and can be transplanted in the fall or winter to the garden spot of your preference. Make sure the young seedlings get lots of water until the fall and winter months bring more rainfall.
• Garden centers will offer mums soon, so choose those with tight buds and plant them in the garden or flower pots.

Beds

• Prepare your beds for replanting either for now, fall, or next spring.  Start by pulling and digging the weeds and spreading plenty of compost, composted manure, or other organic matter.
• Mulch beds with pine or cypress bark, pine straw, or bark nuggets. This will keep soil moist longer and add nutrients to the soil.

Dig and Divide

• Dig crowded or established clumps of iris, daylily, rain lilies, and daffodil. Divide clumps and separate bulbs then replant immediately in prepared beds to prevent roots and bulbs from drying out.

Prune

• Trim re-blooming roses for late summer or fall blooms. While you are at it, remove dead wood and sprinkle some 5-10-10 rose fertilizer to encourage those fall blooms.
• Clip the seedpods from crepe myrtles. Many varieties will rebloom after seedpods are removed.

Water

• Water your vegetables, trees, shrub, and flowers more frequently during the long, hot summer days. During dry spells set sprinkler cycles for early morning with longer cycles or allow lawn sprinklers to run long enough to soak the soil about every 5 days. Potted plantings will need to be watered daily.

 

July

July is here and it is hot, hot, hot, hot!  Yes, summer is finally here with all of its fireworks, barbeques, heat and humidity!  Are you loving it or what?

Plant

• It is time to sow seeds for biennials that require more days to maturity and bloom time such as digitalis (foxglove) 150 days, hollyhock 365 days, sweet rocket 365 days, sweet William 365 days, rudbeckia (coneflower), daisy, and black-eyed Susan 120 days. I like to start mine directly in the garden but they are easy to start in small nursery pots and can be transplanted in the fall or winter to the garden spot of your preference. Make sure the young seedlings get lots of water until the fall and winter months bring more rainfall.
• If you grow your own jack-o’-lanterns, then it is time to plant your pumpkin seeds. Plant in a sunny location where the vines will have plenty of “running room”.
• July is a good month to root cuttings of woody trees and shrubs such as roses, azaleas, hydrangeas, camellia, and gardenia.
• You can also propagate azaleas, gardenia, and hydrangeas by layering. This method is simply laying a lower limb on the soil and placing a small rock or other weight to keep it in contact with the soil and moisture. It will take a couple of months or more for the roots to form.

Beds

• As always, keep pulling and digging the weeds as soon as you find them in your garden. I have found that it is especially important to pull seedlings of poison ivy and other nasty pests while they are young because they will grow and mature quickly making it difficult and painful to remove. I prefer to avoid chemicals if I possibly can do so. If I leave them or don’t find them in time then I have to give them a spray of weed killer.

Fertilize

• It is still a great time to fertilize your gardens. This will keep annuals blooming all summer and feed next spring’s blooms on your perennials.  Fertilize spring blooming shrubs such as azaleas and camellias before the end of July. If you fertilize them later it will encourage new growth that will emerge in the fall and it will likely be damaged by the first frost. I have found that this will not only harm next year’s blooms but weaken the plant as well.
• Apply a slow-release fertilizer to your summer annual and perennial flowers, including roses, preferably with a water soluble 20-20-20 solution.
• Amaryllis benefit from a slow release fertilizer of 9-9-6 that will feed bulbs for next year’s flowers.
• Lawns benefit from an application of 16-4-8 fertilizer. However, centipede grass fertilizer should include slow release nitrogen.

Prune

• Trim and prune tired or heat stressed perennials and annuals to keep dead or weak limbs cut. Annuals will need spent blooms trimmed away to encourage new blooms.

Vegetables and fruits

• Pick your ripe vegetables and fruits as soon as they are ready for best flavor and fresh eating. The fresher the better for preserving as well.

Water

• You will need to water your vegetables, trees, shrub, and flowers more frequently during the long, hot summer days. Sufficient water is critical for plant survival.  How much water is ample water and how frequent to water depends on the plant type and sun exposure. Soak the soil at minimum every 5 or so days when there is insufficient rainfall. Potted plantings will suffer most and can dry out very quickly. They will likely need water every day.
• It is best to water early in the day to reduce evaporation of the water and to keep mildew and black spot at a minimum. We set our sprinkler system to run around 4:00 a.m. but in the past when we set out hoses with sprinklers we would do so as early in the morning as possible. Soaker hoses are also great for conserving water and they put the water into the soil and not all over the plants. You can hide them under mulch or leafy, bushy plantings.
• To encourage a good root system for your plants, water less often and more deeply.

June

It seems that here in the southeast that May and June are the prime months for flower gardens.  We have had plenty of rainfall and moderate temperatures making the gardens quite lush. Thus far the heat and drought have not gotten into full swing and, as for my garden, the Japanese beetle have not yet arrived.  Sometime in early to mid June they will buzz in and linger for several weeks taking their toll on everything in sight!

First Day of Summer: Summer Solstice – longest day of the year is June 21st.

Beds and Planting

• There is still time to plant heat-loving annuals such as periwinkle, impatiens, sunflowers, cosmos, zinnia, cleome, petunia, and either from seed or transplants.
• Once foliage has turned yellow, dig and divide clumps of daffodil, leucojum, and narcissus. Separate individual bulbs and replant them immediately or store in a cool, shaded location until fall planting time. 
• Plant fall blooming bulbs and plants such as marigold, mums, spider lilies, and rain lilies. 
• As days become hotter, longer, and drier, make sure your new plantings and established ones are getting enough water.  They will need to be watered thoroughly at least once a week when there is little or no rainfall.
• Continue to pull or dig weeds from flower and vegetable beds before they set seed. Removing them now could mean fewer of these invaders to pull later!
• Mulch flower beds and around new planting and trees to retain moisture and keep the soil cooler during the hot, dry summer months.

Fertilize

• To encourage blooms for next spring, fertilize spring blooming shrubs such as azaleas and camellias.
• Apply a slow-release fertilizer to your summer annual and perennial flowers, including roses, preferably with a water soluble 20-20-20 solution.
• Amaryllis benefit from a slow release fertilizer of 9-9-6 that will feed bulbs for next year’s flowers.
• Lawns benefit from an application of 16-4-8 fertilizer. However, centipede grass fertilizer should include slow release nitrogen.

Prune

• Snip spent flowers from annuals and roses to encourage new blooms.
• Pinch back petunias to prevent their stems from becoming leggy and to encourage new growth and blooms.
• Remove suckers from crepe myrtle and other trees to keep them in good shape.

 

May

It is finally May! Why is it that the flowers are most beautiful in May? Maybe it is because May is that wonderful month when the weather seems to cooperate and the bugs have not yet come out in full force! In other words, May is situated somewhere between ”no longer worrying about late frost and the arrival of Japanese beetle and other garden pests.” No wonder there are so many traditional celebrations in this month.

 Garden beds

• Stake tall, top-heavy plants such as peonies, iris, gladiolas, and foxglove to prevent them from getting broken during spring rains and wind. Drive stakes into the ground about 4 to 6 inches from the base of the plant and tie the stalks to the stake with Velcro strips or soft cloth strips. Do not use wire or other materials that will cut or bruise the stalks and stems of your plants.
• You should continue to mulch with pine bark, straw, leaf mold or grass clippings. This helps to reduce weeds and retain moisture. 
• Speaking of weeds, keep pulling them out of your garden beds before they have a chance to take over. Weeds produce seeds now and will become established in your garden quickly causing them to be much more difficult to control.

Plant

• For summer color plant annuals such as zinnia, moonflower, sunflower, marigolds, impatiens, vinca, begonias, petunias, salvia, and caladiums to brighten shaded areas.
• Get your summer vegetable garden going by planting your favorite summer vegetables such as squash, black-eyed peas, peppers, cucumber, watermelons, cantaloupe, okra, beans, and tomatoes.
• You can still plant many perennials such as daylilies, container roses – not bare root, hosta, clematis, and

Prune

• Azaleas, weigela, forsythia, and other spring blooming shrubs can be pruned as soon as they have finished blooming to keep them in good shape and maintain their size.
• Deadhead roses after the first flush of blooms have shed their petals. It is also a good time to remove any dead or weak canes.
• Bulb foliage should not be trimmed. Bulbs need to keep their foliage until it turns yellow in order to produce food for the bulbs so they will bloom again next spring.
• Cut back ornamental grasses as the fresh new growth emerges.

Lawns

• The best weed control is to mow before weeds produce seeds.
• Sod, sprig, or seed bare areas of your lawn now.
• Fertilize your lawn before the temperatures get too hot. Fertilizers such as 29-3-4 or 27-3-4 in time-released form work best.

April

While it is true that April showers bring May flowers, April has some blooming-beauties as well.

Garden beds

• While waiting for the danger of frost to pass, prepare garden beds for spring planting by loosening the soil and adding organic matter such as compost and time-released fertilizer. Rake the bed smooth and apply mulch before you plant to discourage weeds.
• Apply a layer of pine stray or pine bark mulch in all garden areas, particularly around newly planted shrubs and trees.  Mulch will help retain moisture, keeps plant roots cool, and discourage weeds.

Planting

• It is still not too late to set out perennials, shrubs, and trees.
• Sow seeds,  transplant seedlings that have been harden off or plant potted flowering annuals after all danger of frost has passed.
• Plant garden vegetables and annual herbs such as sweet basil, dill, and fennel after all danger of frost has passed.
• Perennial herbs such as chives, oregano, mint, sage, thyme, rosemary, lavender, and bay can be planted directly into the garden anytime this month.
• April is a good time to plant fall perennials such as sage, marigolds, mums, and spider lily.
• Keep your Easter lily after it blooms and plant in a sunny area of the garden that has well-drained soil. Dig a hole around 4 to 6 inches deep and set the lily at the same soil level as it was in the nursery pot. Fill the hole with good soil and top with a layer of mulch to retain moisture during the growing season.
• Plant annual vines such as moonflowers, morning glories, and Black-eyed Susan vine, near the end of April. Many gardeners soak the seeds overnight in water to soften the seed coat which speeds up germination.

Prune

• Prune spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas and once-blooming roses soon after they flower to remove any stray limbs, to control size and to maintain their natural shape.

Lawn

• A couple of weeks after your warm-season lawn turns green apply a fertilizer such as 29-3-4 or 27-3-4 that will gradually feed over the spring and summer months. Time released products are preferred as they are less likely to burn grass or have their nutrients washed away during heavy spring rains.
• It is a good time to plant sod in bare areas or plugs of grass to fill gaps in lawns or grassy areas. Water newly planted grass during dry spells until roots are established.

 

March

March Madness has begun and spring arrives this month!! The days have become noticeably longer and with Daylight Savings Time beginning the second weekend in March this will spring us forward with even longer hours of daylight. The Vernal Equinox is March 20^th for 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere and is proclaimed as the first day of spring in the USA and by many in England as well.

Garden beds

• Pull out all weed seedlings, acorn, pine, gum, cherry, or other stray seedlings. The sooner you remove them the better or they will establish firm roots making them difficult to pull or dig out completely.
• If you placed landscape fabric or heavy mulch to discourage weeds, it is time to remove these and begin to condition soil for spring planting. If you have heavy or clay soil, add compost to the soil so that it will clump less and allow water to absorb and reach the roots of your plants.

Plant

• March is a great month to plant blueberries. Most garden centers have a nice selection now so choose a variety that is suited to the climate in your region.  Plant them in a sunny location. Blueberry bushes are beautiful year-round and make a great hedge
• It is also a good time to plant figs either directly in the ground or in containers.  They will do best in full sun and like most any type soil.
• It is time to plant shrubs, trees, and perennials.
• The best rose selections are also available now. Choose varieties that will reward you with fragrance and are disease tolerant.  You should also consider whether you want roses that are climbers or are shrub form.  This will depend on the location you plan to grow them. For best results choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. I have had the best results with bare-root roses. These should be soaked for 6 to 8 hours (overnight is good) in a bucket of water before you plant them. Trim any dead or tangled roots. Next, dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball making a small mound (about 12 inches or so) in the center of the hole.  Place the rose, roots first, into the prepared hold taking care to spread the roots out evenly over the small mound. (For healthy roses with lots of blooms here is a tip I got from a highly successful rose grower: place a banana peel in the bottom of the hole when you plant your roses.) Proper planting depth is essential, plant with soil up to or just slightly below the bud union.
• Azaleas are plentiful in most garden centers with many colors and varieties available. Azaleas prefer acid soil that is moist but well-drained. Choose a location with filtered sunlight that is protection from hot afternoon sun.  Mulch with pine straw or pine bark to retain moisture and provide acid to the soil.
• This is an excellent time to divide and reset crowded perennials such as hosta, daylily, chrysanthemums, and Shasta daisies.
• In the herb garden, plant thyme and oregano.  Wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting basil, fennel, and dill.

Prune

• We are in the last days for pruning maple, crepe myrtle, and other non-blooming or late blooming trees.  Prune to improve form, remove any limbs that crisscross or rub against one another and any suckers at the base of the trees.
• For better fruit production, you should prune apple and peach trees with caution by removing dead or crisscross limbs, suckers and stray shoots.

Lawn

• Trim liriope and mondo grass with mower or string trimmer before new growth appears.
• Sod plugs can be planted to fill in damaged areas of lawns.
• March is the time to apply fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with a 3-1-2 ratio. For best results use 21-7-14 or 18-6-12 fertilizers that are marked “slow release”. 

 

 

February

 

What’s blooming? 

• Helleborus, also know as lenten roses, start to send up their bloom shoots in late January and begin to bloom in mid-February around Valentine’s Day. Their beautiful blooms last for several weeks.
• Many varieties of camellia bloom in February.
• Early blooming bulbs such as snowdrops and daffodil already have their green shoots up and will start to bloom after mid-February.

Garden beds

• Plan and prepare garden beds for vegetables and annual flowers.
• For best selection, take time to order vegetable and flower seeds.

Plant

• As soon as soil can be worked, plant ornamental kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.  Get them off to a good start by applying granular 12-6-6 formula to boost growth and yields.
• For early blooms, plant snapdragon, pansies, violas, calendulas, forget-me-nots, poppies, sweet William, larkspur, bachelor’s-buttons, sweet peas, and other cool weather loving annuals.
• In southern areas where the soil is not frozen, sow spinach and lettuce seeds directly in garden.
• In milder climates, plant potatoes for May crops.

 Prune

• In mild climates, late winter is a good time to prune roses that bloom on this year’s growth such as hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas.  Light to moderate pruning leaves 5 to 7 healthy canes in addition to removing dead, weak, or diseased canes.
• Trim or cut back overgrown shrubs that flower in summer or fall months.  
• As always, do not prune those that have spring blooms or you will most likely remove this year’s buds resulting in few, if any, blooms. 
• Cut any dead, wind broken, weak or diseased limbs on trees and shrubs. This improves their appearance as well as reduces the spread of disease.

Lawn

• Apply pre-emergence herbicides if you have problems with weeds. It’s best to treat before seeds germinate.  A thick, healthy lawn is the preferred weed control.
• Fertilize your lawn with a slow-release formula.
• Feed ground covers, trees, shrubs, with slow release fertilizers as they begin to show spring growth.

 

 

January

Garden beds

• Begin to prepare garden beds for spring by turning under leaves and compost as well as adding lime into your soil. This should only be done when the soil is not too wet.  
• When cleaning up fallen leaves around your perennial beds you will need to replace with mulch such as pine straw or bark.
• Leave browned tops on plants for now; I prefer to leave the tops that have seeds for birds since their food sources are scarce in mid-winter.
• Remove the above ground dead stems, twigs, and limbs on woody perennials.
• Completely remove all dead annuals that remain.
• Recycle any leftover holiday garland and trees. Cut them into single branches and place over garden beds of perennials to mulch and protect them since the branches will not smother plant crowns.  When spring arrives and new growth begins to appear just remove the branches and toss into the compost pile. 
• Begin to plan what vegetables and flowers you want to grow and enjoy this year.
• Place your seed orders from yours favorite catalogs or websites now to ensure seed availability and so that you will have them in time for starting any of the seeds indoors.

Plant

• Plant shrubs, deciduous fruit trees such as apples, peaches, blueberries, pears and figs, as well as grapes, blackberries, and raspberries so their roots can start to get established by springtime.
• After the blooms fade on your holiday amaryllis, plant them in your garden in middle and lower southern regions, later in colder areas.  Plant bulbs so that they are two-thirds buried with the top third above the soil taking care not to damage leaves and roots. Amaryllis thrive in a sunny locations where the soil drains well and is enriched with compost.  

Prune

• Prune trees and shrubs while dormant removing dead wood first. Then remove any crossing limbs and those that are visually unbalanced to retain the plants natural shape.
• When pruning limbs, leave a stub of a half to 1 inch to allow for healing.
• Remove all suckers at base of trees.
• Prune roses, fruit trees, grapes, and crepe myrtles.
• Do not prune azaleas, rhododendrons, forsythia, fothergilla, and other spring blooming shrubs or you will have fewer or no blooms this year.  Instead, prune after they have finished blooming.

Lawn

• Mow or clip liriope and mondo grass to remove dead and ragged foliage.
• Apply weed control if summer weeds were a problem the previous year. Remember that a thick, healthy lawn is by far the best weed control.