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January   ·  February   ·  March  ·  April  ·  May  ·  June  ·   July  ·  August  ·  September  ·  October  ·  November  ·  December

January’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Collect seed and plant catalogues · Check the dates on seed packets that you already own · Read your catalogues thoroughly before ordering new seeds or plants · Read gardening books for inspiration and new approaches to your landscape · Study the bare bones of your garden and make notes on potential improvements · Tour your garden to look for plant damage · Plan new garden · Place your seed orders · Beware of a January thaw! · Apply winter mulch.

Trees and Shrubs: Remove excess snow from shrubs, especially those planted close to the roofline of the house · Use Christmas trees and holiday greens to protect plants from frost heave · Prune dead or broken branches off trees · Prune summer – and fall – blooming woody vines and shrubs while they are dormant · Fertilize acid-loving shrubs, if you didn’t fertilize them in the fall · If you forgot to apply anti-desiccant to your broad-leaved evergreens in late fall, do it now · Water broad-leaved and needled evergreens during a thaw.

Flowers and Grasses: Routinely inspect houseplants and outdoor plants overwintered indoors for pests and diseases · Water indoor plants less frequently until they return to active growth · Pinch and turn houseplants to keep them shapely · Keep houseplants clean · Avoid excessive salt use on icy paths and driveways.

February’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: There’s still time to look through catalogues, and place orders · Order bulbs and plants for spring planting · Thoroughly clean any flats or pots for seedlings · Set aside a potting area for seed starting and gather the necessary equipment · Sow those seeds that will need 10 to 12 weeks indoors before they can be transplanted outside · Make sure your bluebird boxes are clean · Beware of a February thaw! · Continue looking for plant damage in the garden.

Tree and Shrubs: Continue removing excess snow – not ice – from shrubs · Prune off broken twigs and branches on shrubs · Prune trees, except for birches, flowering cherries, maples, horse chestnuts, lindens, and walnuts · Cut stems of spring-flowering shrubs for forcing.

Flowers and Grasses: Bring potted bulbs inside for forcing so they will flower by Easter · Continue inspecting houseplants and outdoor plants overwintered indoors for pests and diseases · Continue keeping houseplants in topnotch shape by pinching, turning, and cleaning them · Water indoor plants sparingly – and avoid fertilizing them altogether – until you see signs of active growth · Wrap houseplants carefully if you take them outdoors · Propagate geraniums by cuttings for late-spring planting · Avoid excessive salt use on icy paths and driveways.

March’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Look out for killing frosts, especially following a thaw, and mulch unprotected plants · If you don’t know already, find out what the last spring frost date is for your area · Begin sowing those seeds that will need 8 to 10 weeks indoors before transplanting · Test and tune up gasoline-powered equipment.

Trees and Shrubs: Continue removing snow from shrubs, especially evergreens · Continue pruning dormant trees · Renewal-prune shrubs flowering on new wood and shrubs grown for colorful stems · Don’t prune spring-blooming shrubs, except to correct problems · Top-dress roses and shrubs with well-rotted manure · Transplant young shrubs lacking well-established root systems before the buds swell · Control overwintering pests with horticultural oil before the buds swell on trees, shrubs, and vines.

Flowers and Grasses:  Keep off frozen grass as much as possible · Continue inspecting houseplants and plants overwintered indoors for pests and diseases · Fertilize early-flowering bulbs as they emerge.

April’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Begin digging new garden beds when the soil is workable · Prepare the soil for seeds · Start weeding your beds · Water newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables frequently · Remove winter mulch when growth begins.

Trees and Shrubs: Remove the compost mounded over the base of your roses as the weather warms · Plant bare-root roses when the soil is workable · Prune repeat-blooming roses when the buds begin to swell · Dig up and replant rooted suckers from own-root shrubs and roses · Replant new shrubs and trees that have heaved out of the soil · Finish transplanting shrubs before the buds swell · Plant shrubs, trees, and vines you purchased balled-and-burlapped or in containers · Tidy the mulch in your shrub beds, adding more where necessary · Prune shrubs grown for interesting summer leaves or winter stems.

Flowers and Grasses: Replant frost-heaved perennials · Cut back ornamental grasses and sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ · Transplant and divide summer and fall-blooming perennials · Clean up ground-cover beds and divide overcrowded plants to give them room · Add a layer of finished compost to your flower beds · Sow seeds of hardy annuals and perennials outdoors · Plant pansies and other cold-tolerant annuals · Harden-off hardy and half-hardy seedlings · Repair the lawn by sowing grass seed or laying patches of sod.

May’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Weed your beds thoroughly before they get out of hand · Make sure all winter mulches are removed by the beginning of the month · Top off summer mulch in beds where levels have dropped below 2 inches · Rake beds that have ample mulch, to prevent matting · Keep watering transplants and new plants frequently.

Trees and Shrubs: Prune shrubs that flower in early spring right after they bloom · Prune conifers ·Train topiaries and espaliers· Plant potted roses · Fertilize roses, if you didn’t feed them earlier in the season.

Flowers and Grasses: Cut back perennial stems damaged by frost · Set out dahlias after the last frost date · Plant gladiolus corms beginning early this month · Finish dividing summer and fall-blooming perennials · Stake peonies, delphiniums, and tall phlox early · Start planting tender annuals outdoors after the last frost date · Reseed bare spots in the lawn.

June’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Water newly planted plants and transplants · Do the watering early in the morning · Weed planting beds as necessary · Throw healthy garden clippings onto the compost pile.

Trees and Shrubs:  Deadhead rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurels, and lilacs · Deadhead repeat-blooming roses to encourage more flowers · Spray roses early and regularly to prevent fungal diseases · Fertilize roses, except for once-blooming roses · Continue planting trees, shrubs, ground covers, and other plants purchased in containers · Continue pruning conifers such as pines, firs, and spruces.

Flowers and Grasses:  Sow annual seeds · Transplant warm-season annuals on a gray, windless day after the last frost date · Stake tall annuals and lax perennials, if you haven’t done so already · Dig or pull out excess perennials · Pinch back chrysanthemums when 4 to 6 inches high.

July’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Turn the compost pile · Keep up with weeds in garden beds · Water your garden during periods of drought.

Trees and Shrubs: Deadhead some spring-blooming shrubs · Deadhead and feed repeat-blooming roses · Prune repeat-blooming climbing roses · Use good hygiene for rose health · Prune vines that bloom on old wood immediately after blooming · Prune birches, cherries, horse chestnuts, lindens, and walnuts once the new growth is fully developed.

Flowers and Grasses: Early in the month, finish transplanting annuals into the garden · Fertilize container plants regularly · Stake tall plants growing in windy sites · Pinch back asters, dahlias, cosmos, zinnias, salvias, and chrysanthemums · Cut spent perennials to the ground to encourage new growth · Deadhead flowers to prolong bloom time · Divide and replant bearded iris · Divide daylilies that have finished blooming · Dig and divide spring-blooming bulbs that flowered sparsely · Cut back daffodil leaves after they turn yellow · Water your color scheme develop.

August’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden:  Collect seeds for next year’s garden · Continue weeding garden beds · Continue watering your garden as needed during dry weather · Check plants for signs of pests and diseases · Evaluate your garden with an eye for improvements · Study bulb catalogues and order garlic and flowering bulbs and corms to plant in the fall.

Trees and Shrubs: Train wayward vines · Stop pruning shrubs and trees · Don’t fertilize shrubs and trees after mid-month · Consider adding shrubs to flower borders.

Flowers and Grasses: Make sure lawns that are not dormant receive 1 inch of water a week · Continue deadheading spent flowers to prolong bloom time · Cut hollyhocks near the ground after they bloom · Divide or transplant Oriental poppies · Add extra fall-blooming perennials to the garden · Sow self-sowing annuals where you’d like them to appear next spring and summer · Cut flowers to bring indoors · Continue dividing bearded irises · Plant crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) · Plant fall crocuses and colchicums as soon as bulbs are available.

September’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Continue watering your garden as needed during dry weather · Continue collecting seeds for next year’s garden · Continue checking regularly for signs of pests and diseases · Continue weeding your beds · Cover water gardens with netting.

Trees and Shrubs: Plant roses as well as other shrubs and trees · Cut roses with fall bloom to bring indoors · Water newly planted trees and shrubs once a week · Water established trees and shrubs only in periods of drought.

Flowers and Grasses: Mow the lawn frequently and feed it to keep it in topnotch form · De-thatch and aerate your lawn · Sow grass seed · Cut back ragged-looking perennials · Divide perennials · Divide peonies · Uproot spent annuals and toss them on the compost pile · Sow annuals for bloom next year · Dig tender bulbs when the leaves die back · Plant tulips · Move indoors any houseplants that summered outdoors.

October’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Have your lawn and garden soil tested at the local Cooperative Extension Service and make recommended improvements · Visit garden centers for ideas on fall-blooming plants and bargains · Rake up fallen leaves and add them to your compost pile · Mulch areas intended for early spring planting.

Trees and Shrubs: Plant bare-root, containerized, and balled-and-burlapped shrubs · Transplant established trees and shrubs · Water newly planted trees and shrubs deeply before the ground freezes · After leaf fall, take hardwood cuttings.

Flowers and Grasses: Mow the grass as needed until it stops growing · Reseed the lawn until the soil cools · Pot up less hardy ornamental grasses · Transplant or divide perennials · Mark late-to-emerge perennials · Cut hardy perennials to the base after fall flowering · Clean up your perennial beds · Rake up or pull out annuals once they’re killed by frost · Continue planting hardy spring-flowering bulbs · Lift and store tender, summer-flowering bulbs, tubers, and corms.

November’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Mark your paths and driveway with stakes · Store firewood outdoors · Clean, oil and sharpen your garden tools · Prepare the lawn mower for winter storage · Adjust soil pH, if necessary · Before the ground freezes hard, install bluebird nesting boxes.

Trees and Shrubs: Make sure all leaves are off your lawn before heavy snows begin · Spray antidessicants on broadleaved evergreens · Water broadleaved evergreens on warm days · Fertilize trees and shrubs when dormant.

Flowers and Grasses: Keep planting daffodil bulbs until the ground freezes · Finish cutting back perennials · Mulch perennial gardens once the ground has frozen.

December’s Tasks: [ back to top ]

The Whole Garden: Save wood ashes from the fireplace or wood stove for soil amendment · Continue to weed until the first snow falls · Apply winter mulches after the ground has frozen · Bring clay pots and statues made of cement, clay, and some resins indoors · Stock up on sand or kitty litter to cope with icy paths.

Trees and Shrubs: Water evergreens, especially newly planted ones, when the ground is not frozen · Arrange for winter tree pruning · Prepare for a live Christmas tree now · Protect shrubs planted under your roofline from snow damage · Check for mole tunnels and fill them with soil before the ground freezes.

Flowers and Grasses: Continue starting paperwhites every few weeks for nonstop indoor bloom · Start seeds of biennial flowers that you want to treat as annuals · Water houseplants thoroughly, but not too frequently · Treat your houseplants to pebble trays · Stop feeding houseplants.

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