Gardening Calendar
Monthly tips for garden tending
September
In the flower garden
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In the food garden
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October
October, when our gardens are slowing down, is the perfect time to tackle a few simple tasks that will give us a head start in the spring. Chives, for example, should be cut almost to the ground, making them look tidy and ensuring a vigorous re-growth in the warmer weather. Herbs for cooking, such as rosemary and thyme, can be potted and placed on a sunny windowsill for use throughout the winter. For best bloom next year, now is the time to transplant, divide, or plant new perennials, except Japanese anemones, mums, or ornamental grasses.
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Cut back perennials as the foliage turns brown, cut mums back only halfway. Pull up dead annuals, shake off soil clinging to the roots, and smooth the ground with a rake. The plants can then be composted. Do not compost any diseased material. To the cleared areas, apply a layer of mulch, compost, or fertilizer to enrich the soil through the winter.
In the flower garden
Autumn Alerts:
Christmas Cactus Know How:
The secret to a full blooming Christmas Cactus is temperature and light control. The cactus will develop buds and bloom if given bright light, short days, and night temperatures between 55° and 65°F. Christmas cacti bloom best when somewhat pot-bound. If repotting is needed, this should be done during midwinter. Christmas cacti require less water from October to March than they do when growth is active from April to September. A rest period is important if plants are to bloom abundantly. Dormancy should be started about the middle of September and continued for eight weeks. DO NOT over water during the dark days of winter. Bright sun during summer months can make plants look pale. Clay pots are great, but they draw the salts from fertilizer and the minerals from hard water out of the soil and into the clay. To clean clay pots:
In the flower garden
- Bring in tropicals and houseplants before frost; treat first with Neem oil or insecticidal soap
- Stake chrysanthemums, water and fertilize
- Complete lifting and dividing iris, lily-of-the-valley, and daylilies
- Complete pruning of rambler roses
- Lift, dry and store tender bulbs. i.e., cannas, dahlias, and gladioli after first frost
- Pot up amaryllis, tulips, and other prepared bulbs; store in a cool, dark place until ready to force for the holidays
- Band trees for fall cankerworm
- Plant spring bulbs
- Harvest mature green tomatoes for ripening indoors before frost
- Cut herbs and flowers; bring indoors for drying
Autumn Alerts:
- Adult Deer ticks are very active until early December and then again during warmer periods
- Voles and moles should be addresses at this time of the year
- Flying insects, winged yellow ants, stink bugs can be a nuisance
Christmas Cactus Know How:
The secret to a full blooming Christmas Cactus is temperature and light control. The cactus will develop buds and bloom if given bright light, short days, and night temperatures between 55° and 65°F. Christmas cacti bloom best when somewhat pot-bound. If repotting is needed, this should be done during midwinter. Christmas cacti require less water from October to March than they do when growth is active from April to September. A rest period is important if plants are to bloom abundantly. Dormancy should be started about the middle of September and continued for eight weeks. DO NOT over water during the dark days of winter. Bright sun during summer months can make plants look pale. Clay pots are great, but they draw the salts from fertilizer and the minerals from hard water out of the soil and into the clay. To clean clay pots:
- Mix a solution of one part bleach or one part Lestoil to nine parts water.
- Soak overnight.
- Use a stiff wire brush to scrub off the deposits.
- Rinse pots with fresh water.
November
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- Clean, oil, repair, and store gardening tools; wash and refresh gloves, use up gas and oil mix, as it will not keep
- After the ground freezes, add a thick layer of mulch; cover plants needing extra protection
- Cut back perennials that have no winter interest
- Continue dividing overgrown perennials
- Keep plants watered until ground is frozen
- If you have a greenhouse, now is the time to clean it up remembering to clear out under any benches
December
December To-Do List:
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Evergreen Tip:
When using evergreens for holiday decorating it is important to harden off the cuts by soaking in fertilizer and 2 gallons of warm water, this will keep them longer in the house
When using evergreens for holiday decorating it is important to harden off the cuts by soaking in fertilizer and 2 gallons of warm water, this will keep them longer in the house
January
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- Take care of your tools! Sharpen, clean, oil and otherwise repair saws and pruners. Sharpen the cutting edge of spades and lawnmower blades, repair the handles of shovels and wheelbarrows or any other tool placed on the ‘to be fixed’ pile. Compose a list of tools to purchase that are in a state beyond repair.
- If snow is absent, start cutting back Hellebore Hybrids (Helleborus x hybridus) towards the end of January. A warm February will often promote the start of blooming and it is easier to remove the foliage when the buds are not present.
- Houseplants need to be kept on the dry side during winter, as too much water will cause root rot. Put your Poinsettias, Amaryllis or Cyclamen in a sunny southern window and water when the top of the soil becomes dry.
- Start collecting Seed and Plant Catalogues, peruse and start planning for the summer deciding what to purchase!!
February
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March
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Tip:
Be sure to not cut the leaves off the daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and other bulbed plants. After the flowers are spent, they need to reabsorb the nutrients from the greens to be able to remain healthy and bloom next year.
Be sure to not cut the leaves off the daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and other bulbed plants. After the flowers are spent, they need to reabsorb the nutrients from the greens to be able to remain healthy and bloom next year.
April
Tips: Lawn Care: The application of a spring lawn fertilizer will perk up the lawn and improve its overall color and appearance. Consider thatching and over-seeding the lawn. Thatch buildup can smother the lawn. Remove thatch with a brisk raking or with a de-thatching machine. Over-seeding fills in bare spots and deters weeds. |
May
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- Prune forsythia, weigela and spirea when they have finished blooming. Cut back one-third of the oldest canes to ground level, then cut back one-third of the remaining branches by one-third of their height.
- Lilacs can be pruned lightly once they finish blooming. Remove sucker growths and dead blooms.
- Fertilize your hydrangea now, for pink blooms work lime into the soil to produce blue blooms add aluminum.
- Carrots, lettuce, potatoes, corn, beans, peas, and most popular vegetables (with the exception of the warmer weather crops) can be seeded or planted in the vegetable garden.
- Wait until mid to late May before planting the warmer weather crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumber, pumpkins, and peppers.
June
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- Fertilize annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs and trees with a slow-release plant food that contains nitrogen, sulfate of potash, iron and other micro-nutrients for overall plant growth and development.
- Check all plants for sufficient water. Water thoroughly and deeply.
- Move houseplants outside to the deck or patio and enjoy them outdoors for the summer. It is best to gradually introduce them to more direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from being burned.
- Feed houseplants with a good quality indoor plant food such as Osmocote (slow-release granular). If needed, re-pot root bound houseplants to a larger pot. Use potting mix when repotting houseplants.
- Visit a local farmers' market and eat seasonally. Try something you haven't eaten before. The farmers will be happy to tell you what to do with their produce.
July
Take the time to pick flowers from your garden to enjoy inside or on the table for a picnic.
Be sure to check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis. Water deeply and thoroughly as needed.
Gator bags provide a great way to keep trees watered during hot and dry months. These bags, which can hold up to 20 gallons of water, are secured to the trunk of the tree, where they release the water slowly to the root ball over the course of 15-20 hours.
Be sure to check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis. Water deeply and thoroughly as needed.
Gator bags provide a great way to keep trees watered during hot and dry months. These bags, which can hold up to 20 gallons of water, are secured to the trunk of the tree, where they release the water slowly to the root ball over the course of 15-20 hours.
August
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