February

• Prune trees while they are dormant. First, remove any dead or diseased wood. Next, remove any crossing limbs or branches. Finally, prune for shape. Do not remove more than 25% of wood in one season.
  
  
• Summer and fall blooming shrubs can also be pruned at this time. If you bloom spring-blooming shrubs now, you will reduce or remove spring blooms.
  
  
• Spray trees and shrubs with dormant oil. Pests and diseases that can be reduced or eliminated by dormant oil include mites, aphids, scale, black spot, and rose canker. Follow package directions carefully.
  
  
• Study you landscape for winter interest. Perhaps some hardscaping or plants with winter interest could be added? Call your landscape designer for suggestions
  Finalize garden designs and plans. The library is a great place to scan magazines and books for ideas.

April

• Clean out planting beds.
  
  
• Remove sticks and leaves that have blown into the beds.
  
  
• Remove dead plant tops from perennials and ornamental grasses.
  
  
• Butterfly bushes (Buddleia sp.), Blue Mist shrubs (Caryopteris sp. ), Russian Sage (Pervoskia), and other woody perennials (but not lavender) should be cut back to 6-12 inches.
  
  
• Weed. Getting a good head start on the weeds now will save you much time later in the summer. Pulling weeds while they are small make them easier to remove, and prevents them from producing thousands of weed seeds!!!
  
  
• Apply pre-emergent herbicides for ornamental gardens to garden beds.
  
  
• Mow lawn as needed.
  
  
• Apply 1st round turf fertilizer with crabgrass control. Do not put down pre-emergent herbicide if you plan to seed any areas.
  
  
• Spot seed bare areas of lawn.
  
  
• Divide summer and fall blooming perennials.
  
  
• Apply slow release fertilizer to shrubs, perennials and spring blooming bulbs.
  
  
• Uncover and prune, and fertilize roses.
  
  
• Plant cold-weather vegetables such as lettuce and peas.
  
  
• Plant pansy plants for spring color.
  

May

• Weed, edge and mulch garden beds.
  
  
• Plant annual flowers, vegetables, and herbs in late May, early June.
  
  
• Prune spring-blooming shrubs after they bloom.
  
  
• Shear privet, boxwood, yew, and other hedging plants as needed.
  
  
• Prune dead plant material off of lavender plants.
  
  
• Spray selective herbicide in the lawn for weed controle while temperatures are cooler and weeds are actively growing.
  
  
• Apply a preventative, season long grub control application to the lawn at the end of the month.

June/July

• Weed .
  
  
• Fertilize annual flowers with liquid Miracle Grow or comparable fertilizer, repeat every 2-3 weeks.
  
  
• During dry spells, water trees, shrubs and garden beds with slow, deep watering.
  
  
• Apply slow-release fertilizer to shrubs and perennials.

August

• Divide spring-blooming perennials.
  
  
• Stop fertilization of garden beds.
  
  
• Order spring-blooming bulbs.