A Year in the Life of a Gardener...
Some handy tips for indoor plants, outdoor gardens, vegetable patches, lawns, and other green-thumb necessities arranged by calendar month.
January
- Inspect houseplants for spider mites and aphids.
- Use urea (46-0-0) to melt ice near outdoor plants
- Plan garden layout
- Order flower and vegetable seeds.
- Enroll in home garden studies (at community colleges, University of Guelph and Royal Botanical gardens.)
- Try forcing a flowering bulb (amaryllis, etc.).
February
- Propagate indoor plants (geraniums, etc.) by stem cuttings.
- Week 1: Inspect gladiolus corms, dahlia tubers, begonia tubers, and other fleshy rooted plants for rot and desiccation.
- Week 2: Plant tuberous begonias.
- Week 3: Start seed for impatiens, vinca, pansies, and geraniums.
- Week 4: Start bulbs of caladium.
- Anytime: When forced bulbs have bloomed and tops have dried, store, then plant in garden in fall. If snow melts, check perennial beds for heaved roots from frost. Gently step down any exposed roots and recover with mulch.
- Prune dormant trees and summer flowering shrubs.
- Begin pruning of dormant fruit trees, grapes, and berry bushes.
- Place mail orders for shrubs and hedges.
- Order seed flats and containers.
- Check newspapers for dates of annual garden shows.
March
- Plant flower and vegetable seeds indoors.
- Prune fruit trees and grapevines.
- Start tuberous begonias in pots.
- Press garden perennials back into place, if they’ve heaved.
- Spray fruit trees with dormant oil.
- Treat houseplants with water-soluble fertilizer (e.g., 20-20-20). Follow label rates.
- Prune summer-flowering shrubs.
April
- Rake and fertilize lawn.
- Remove mulch from roses, a little at a time. After mulch is removed, prune them.
- Plant shrubs, trees and hedges.
- Apply pre-emergence weed killer to control crabgrass.
- Transplant biennials (violas, pansies, foxglove, etc.)
- Repair lawn damage with topsoil and seed.
- Plant early vegetables (peas, radishes, onions).
- Spray for birch leaf miner.
- Check newspapers for dates of annual garden shows.
May
- Construct lattice for vines.
- Prepare flower beds: deeply spade the soil; loosen heavy clay and clay loam soils by adding peat moss; add composted manure which will increase fertility.
- Transfer bedding annuals to outdoor cold frame.
- Plant vegetable garden, strawberries and raspberries, after all danger of frost has passed.
- Plant perennials now.
- Tidy up spring bulbs: remove faded flower heads of tulips and daffodils.
- Plant summer flower bulbs; e.g., freesia, gladiolus, dahlias, lilies, anemonies, etc. Fertilizer with superphosphate or bone meal to enhance flowering.
- Check trees for tent caterpillars and other insects.
- Plant frost-sensitive flowers (petunias, etc.) when all danger of frost has passed.
- Prune shrubs and trees after flowering.
- Fertilize lawns.
- Harvest asparagus.
June
- Prune evergreens and hedges.
- Use grass clippings and compost on garden to conserve moisture and control weeds.
- Irrigate lawns and gardens as required.
- Thin annuals and vegetables.
- Treat annual flowers with fertilizers (e.g., water soluble 20-20-20). Follow label rates.
- Stake tall growing perennials.
- Pinch back garden chrysanthemums.
- Remove faded rose blooms.
- Weed vegetable garden and flowerbeds.
July
- Cut grass no shorter than 5 centimeters (2 inches) or even longer.
- Fertilize annuals and vegetables (e.g., water soluble 10-20-20).
- Shallow hoe gardens regularly.
- Pinch back annuals, if getting straggly.
- Water gardens thoroughly during dry spells.
- After strawberry harvest, mow tops down to 5 centimeters (2 inches) and narrow row to 24 centimeters (10 inches).
August
- Prune climbing roses.
- Divide spring blooming plants and summer bloomers that have finished flowering.
- Trees that have finished growing for the summer can be pruned if needed.
- A lot can be done to improve lawns at this time of year, not only for appearance's sake but also for insect and disease control. Remove thatch.
- Many of the late-season vegetables planted outdoors can also be started indoors, either this month or next.
- Order flowering bulbs.
- Cut out old raspberry canes and narrow row to 40 centimeters (16 inches).
- Spray shrubs for powdery mildew control or better still replace with mildew-resistant varieties..
- Harvest vegetables, blanch and freeze.
September
- Prepare and seed new lawns.
- Divide perennials.
- Plant evergreens.
- Last fertilizing of lawns for the year.
- Air dry onion for storage.
- Renovate perennial borders.
- Harvest grapes after first frost.
- Soak soil around evergreens and transplants.
October
- Continue planting spring bulbs.
- Dig, dry and store summer bulbs (dahlias, gladiolus, tuberous begonias, etc.).
- Plant amaryllis (inside) for Christmas blooms.
- Transplant shrubs and trees.
- Distribute nearly completed compost to empty spaces and between rows.
- Rake leaves, and add to reduced compost pile.
- Prepare and seed new lawns.
- Winterize lawn mower.
- Prepare and dig new garden beds and additions.
- Dig over vegetable garden plus compost.
November
- Try potting up some spring bulbs for chilling outside and forcing inside; later, some indoor bulbs such as hyacinth for winter blooms.
- Start winterizing procedures for plants, hoses, and garden equipment. Clean and oil garden tools (spades, hoes, rakes, trowels, etc.), drain hoses, sharpen mower blades and store equipment in a dry, safe place.
- Protect young trees and shrubs from rodents. Check supports for newly planted trees.
- Keep evergreens, shrubs and young trees adequately watered. Soak soil around evergreens if ground is dry.
- Stock up on wood for the fireplace.
December
- Protect rose bushes with soil (hill up) or Styrofoam cones just before the ground freezes.
- Mulch tender perennials when ground starts to freeze.
- Loosely wrap burlap around pyramidal evergreens, rhododendrons and other shrubs and trees that need protection.
- Set up outdoor lighting units before heavy snowfalls.
- Check that house humidifier is maintaining humidity at over 40% to benefit houseplants.
- Reduce watering of indoor plants.
- Order seed catalogues.
- Consider gardening gifts for friends.