Summer’s color gives way to the deeper hues of autumn’s glory … now is the time to start getting the garden prepared for the winter ahead, whilst still enjoying the lovely hues of the fall foliage. Transplant trees and shrub in the cooler weather and water once a week until the end of season. Seed […]
August Garden Tasks
Hold off on any planned transplanting until cooler fall weather. Hold of pruning trees shrubs roses until next spring. Continue deadheading annuals and perennials to prolog blooming. Plant spinach, Swiss card, radishes, and lettuce seed for a fall crop. Continue watering as needed. If not already done apply organic mulch around trees and shrubs to […]
July Garden Tasks
July is the center of the summer in most areas of the US. Be sure to check water levels and keep your garden properly hydrated for the hot spells sure to strike both in July and in August. Continually deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage repeat blooms. Tree and shrubs, especially new, need at least […]
June Garden Tasks
Apply mulch around trees and shrubs. Apply no more than 3″. Watch for watering needs. Prune rhododendrons and azaleas and pinch off old buds when they finish blooming. Remove tree wraps which may have been applied in the fall. This avoids excessive bark wetness. Mulch the vegetable garden with compost to help retain water and […]
May Gardening Tasks
Plant annuals among your perennials for a constant bloom. Apply fertilizer to lawn. Don’t over apply, as the leaching of nitrogen into ground water can be a problem. Make sure your lawn mower’s blade are sharp, dull blades will shred the grass rather giving is a clean cut, resulting in disease prone turf. Also, sharp […]
April Garden Tasks
Dig and divide ornamental grasses and perennials. Remove stakes installed with new trees or shrubs the previous fall. This will result in a stable yet resilient tree. Thin out old pachysandra beds and destroy diseased plants. Plant a tree. Prepare new planting beds by digging in organic matter such as peat moss and compost. The […]
March Gardening Tasks
Test seed for viability. Place 10 seeds on wet paper towel and cover with a second layer of paper towels. Place in a plastic bag and set in warm spot. After 7 days, toss any seed with less than 50% germination. Apply fertilizer around flowering bulbs as soon as their shoots begin to poke through […]
February
February, despite technically being the shortest month of the year, can sometimes seem like the longest. It’s been a few months since you’ve been really working your garden, and the spring still seems to loom too far into the future. Plus, the covering of snow seems to hardly yield at all. Still, there are some […]
January
The excitement of the holiday season is over and time to get reorgnized to start a new year off on the right footing. What better way than to start thinking of the garden! The winter months provide an excellent opportunity for reflection on the past year’s garden exploits and point towards ideas and strategies for […]
Keeping Your Pond Clean
You could become easily discouraged with your pond when you first start creating one since the clear, clean water can quickly turn into a smelly, algae-filled cesspool unless you take precautions to ensure you keep the water healthy. You must remember a well-designed pond must take into consideration the requirement to find the balance for […]