HCMGA:: Gardening Calendar

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> HCMGA:: Gardening Calendar

Gardening Calendar

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January

JANUARY

Plant seeds of begonias, pansy, impatiens, vinca, verbena, leeks, sweet onions, in sterile soil for indoor propagation

Prune grape vines, butterfly bushes, crepe myrtle

Plant live Christmas trees/apply 2 inch compost layer to early garden plot

February

FEBRUARY

Prune roses, summer flowering shrubs(hibiscus, rose-of-sharon, spirea

Prune brambles, fruit trees and spray dormant oil, also on roses

Start cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes seeds indoors

Plant asparagus, radish, greens, cabbage, garlic, peas, herbs outside

March

MARCH

Fertilize spring flowering bulbs, trees, shrubs, azaleas, fruit trees

Divide and transplant summer/fall blooming perennials (coral bells, daylilies, hosta, liriope, mums); feed roses epsom salts and prune

Plant alyssum, larkspur, pansy, viola, phlox, primrose, iris

Apply 2 inch compost layer to April garden beds, fertilize; lime if pH <6.5

Prune evergreens, shade trees, shrubs; plant grapes, brambles, strawberries

Aerate lawn, plant grass seed, place bird houses outside

April

APRIL

Indoor plants: increase watering, fertilizer, prune, repo

Till garden soil when it is dry; start cucumbers, melons, squash indoors

Plant vegetable and annual flower plants after last frost; Fertilize bulbs

May

MAY

Pinch back zinnias, petunias, salvia, mums, perennial herbs

Bait slugs with sugar water; Mulch all outside plants

Plant limas, okra, corn, beets, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, pepper, melons, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, sunflowers

Move house plants outside to shade with pots in nylon stockings to minimize slug/insect infiltration

Plant coleus, zinna, celosia, impatiens outdoors

Thin fruit (apples/peaches) to 6in. spacing

June

JUNE

Take softwood cuttings or layer them to propagate azaleas, spirea, boxwood

Prune shrubs after bloom die off (weigela, viburnum, azalea, camellia)

Cage tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants; plant fall tomatoes

July

JULY

Propagate bleeding hearts by dividing roots after all foliage is dead

Root young cuttings of roses, hydrangeas, virburnums, holly, azalea, camellia and place in shade

Plant fall crop seeds of lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, snap beans, spinach;(transplants of cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts)

Root houseplants; sow pansies, viola; prune petunia and salvia

August

AUGUST

Discontinue fertilizing trees and shrubs to allow Fall hardening of

Fertilize strawberries; water shallow rooted plants regularly:azalea,boxwood

Test soil pH, organic content and modify soil as neede

September

SEPTEMBER

Water strawberries, blueberries, brambles twice a week, one inch of wate

Plant cover crops between rows of fall vegetables or mulch the

Plant spring bloom bulbs (peonies with less than one inch of soil cover) with grit or sharp sand (and surround with daffodils) to deter voles

Divide phlox, artemisia, yarrow, bee balm; take cuttings of begonia, geranium, impatiens, for houseplants

Plant ferns; omit water/sunlight for amaryllis

Fertilize deciduous shrubs after leaf fall; transplant evergreens

Aerify lawns, sow grass seed, fertilize existing grass; control white grubs

October

OCTOBER

Sterilize flower pots with bleach water, repot houseplants and soak in water for 20 min. to kill insects(move inside), keep Xmas cactus cool/dry

Plant seeds: larkspur, poppies, bachelor's button, forget-me-nots

Mulch azaleas, strawberries, and camellia with pine needles

November

NOVEMBER

Fertilize lawn, shrubs, trees, bulbs, remove dead foliage/leaves to compost

Dormant perennials can be cut to 3 inch height; divide iris and peonies

Plant fruit trees, drain rain barrels, and insulate fig trees with cardboard, bubble wrap and plastic

December

DECEMBER

Till dry soil for spring annuals, mulch strawberries; wrap trunks of young cherries, apples, peaches to avoid sunscald

Plant nuts of black walnut, butternut, hickory one inch deep

Spread wood ash sparingly as lime;apply water soluble nitrogen to shady lawn

Bring amaryllis to warm, sunny room/water; keep Xmas cactus moist in bloom

ALL MONTHS OF GROWING SEASON

All plants require one inch of water, once weekly; hanging baskets require two in. (preferably in the morning to prevent quick evaporation)
Roses and fruit trees need weekly spraying for insects and fungi
Cut dry grass when it is four inches tall, to three inches
Apply pesticides at dusk to protect pollinators (water before doing this) Plants that are in drought (water stressed) must not be fertilized, pesticided, pruned or cut (even grass)
House plants should be watered with room temperature well water, rain water, or distilled water; winter humidifier will keep them healthy
Ants indicate "honey dew" insects and both must be controlled
Add lime to raise pH, sulfur to reduce it
Heavy clay soils will cause root rot(dig hole twice as deep as root ball or planting depth of bulbs and add loamy soil to drain water away)
Plants will more often wilt from lack of oxygen than water (mix in compost to loosen compacted soil)
Pinch mums every 2 weeks for a compact form; remove spent blooms on annuals/bulbs
Broadleaf weed control is more effective in the Fall, wire grass control Spring/Fall
Prune evergreens "lightly"; older shrubs may be rejuvenated by heavy pruning
Prune out the oldest branches of forsythia, quince, lilac, and spirea after blooming
Top of Root balls on newly planted trees/shrubs should be 2 in. above ground level
Vegetables and annual flower gardens require a minimum of 6 hrs direct sunlight
Mulch vegetables to keep rain/water from splashing soil on leaves (blight control)
Azalea and Rhododendron should be fertilized with ammoniacals (ammonium sulfate)
Boxwoods should be pruned to allow light and air into the plant center
All plants need good air movement between them (thin to keep good spacing)
Do not remove dead blooms of perennials if you want the seeds
Turning garden soil over in the fall will prevent many insects from over-wintering