Essential Garden & Lawn Care Calendar: Monthly Tips for a Beautiful Landscape

When it comes to keeping your landscaping, gardens and lawn looking healthy and beautiful, there are important steps to take throughout the year – even in winter. For instance, you may not be thinking about flowers in January or February, but you should be if you plan to use ice melt on nearby walkways. Chemicals in ice melt have the potential to make their way into flowerbeds and onto your lawn. Those chemicals are potentially harmful to grass and any perennial flowers, shrubs and bulbs. In the spring, it’s pretty obvious when you will need to start mowing, but when should you start lawn care such as weed preventer, fertilizer and aeration?

To help guide you through landscape, garden and lawn care throughout the year, Chesapeake Landscape Group has created a year-round Landscape, Garden & Lawn Calendar with easy steps to take to keep your yard looking its best.

For a downloadable PDF of this calendar, click here.

Spring Lawn and Garden Care

March – Early Spring Maintenance

1. Begin planning gardens and planters for the upcoming season.
2. If growing flowers or vegetables, plant seeds indoors. Depending on varieties, generally plant in March or April.
3. Check trees and shrubs for winter damage and prune back any damage.
4. Remove any annuals left behind from the summer and fall. Clean up perennials and cut back ornamental grasses to allow for new spring growth.
5. Cut butterfly bush, hardy hibiscus, Russian sage, elderberry and smokebush back to a few inches above the ground.
6. Protect perennial new growth in flowerbeds from freezing nighttime temps by keeping them covered with mulch.
7. Beat the spring rush! Call your landscaper to get on the schedule for mulching, maintenance or new landscape design.

April – Spring Growth and Planting

1. Plant trees, shrubs, and vines when the soil is thawed and ready. Be sure to follow growers’ instructions for the depth and width of holes to be dug.
2. Begin pulling back the mulch from new growth, however, be ready to recover in temps dip below freezing.
3. As flowers begin to emerge, fertilize with MiracleGro or other balanced fertilizers. Be sure to follow instructions so as not to overdo it.
4. Fertilize trees, shrubs, and evergreens for a healthy start to the season.
5. Before you see new growth, trim hedges and shrubs.
6. Prevent weeds by re-mulching flower beds and around trees. If you have multiple beds or large areas to mulch, consider having several yards of mulch delivered.
7. Inspect lawns for bare spots and seeds where necessary. Be sure to cover new seeds with straw and water regularly.
8. Cold-resistant flowers such as pansies and dianthus, as well as vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, peas and onions can be planted.
9. Prep vegetable garden and flower bed soil with manure and/or peat moss once the soil is thawed.
10. Cut back old perennial growth and ornamental grasses to prepare for new spring growth.
11. Treat lawn with crabgrass and weed-preventer.

May – Preparing for Summer:

1. Fertilize lawn, seed, and repair any damaged spots.
2. Prune shrubs that bloom in spring such as rhododendron, lilac, and forsythia.
3. Protect gardens and flowerbeds from deer, rabbits, and other pests with a safe repellent.
4. Fertilize trees and shrubs.
5. Spray fruit trees once blossoms drop.
6. Once frost is no longer a danger, it is safe to plant bulbs, annuals, and seedlings that were started indoors.
7. Begin planting vegetables. Research which herbs and vegetables should be planted when.
8. Treat flowerbeds with weed preventer such as Preen.
9. Clean out small ponds and water gardens.
10. Lawns can be mowed down to 2” if desired.

Summer Lawn and Garden Care

June – Summer Gardening Tips

1. Trim hedges and prune evergreens (early June).
2. Support tomato plants, climbing plants, and tall-growing plants like peonies.
3. Water annuals, vegetables, and newly planted perennials during dry spells.
4. Deadhead flowers to maintain healthy flowerbeds and hanging baskets.
5. Regularly weed gardens and flowerbeds.
6. Monitor plants for insect damage and treat as necessary.
7. Feed gardens and containers with Miracle-Gro throughout the season.

July – Keeping Plants Healthy in Heat

1. Continue pruning and deadheading for neat gardens.
2. Keep up with weeding and lawn care.
3. Check vegetables and fruit trees, picking them when ripe.
4. Turn pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini to prevent rotting.
5. Treat plants with safe pest repellents as needed.
6. Water flowers, plants, vegetables, and lawns regularly, especially during dry spells.
7. Prune hedges and ornamental trees as necessary.

August – Planning for Fall

1. Start planning for fall planting and landscape maintenance. Contact us for a fall schedule!
2. Continue harvesting vegetables, and turn pumpkins, squash, and melons to avoid rot.
3. Continue watering as needed.
4. Begin collecting seeds from your vegetable garden.
5. Divide spring-blooming perennials such as iris and lily of the valley (late August).
6. Inspect plants that will be brought indoors over winter for pests, treating them as necessary.
7. Prepare for lawn maintenance such as seeding; water new seed regularly.
8. Deadhead flowers to maintain a healthy appearance.
9. Take photos of blooming gardens for reference in the spring.

Autumn Lawn and Garden Care

September – Fall Planting and Lawn Prep

1. Fall is ideal for planting trees, shrubs, evergreens, and perennials. Research hole depth and width when digging.
2. Plant spring-blooming bulbs, adding bone meal to strengthen roots.
3. Remove expired vegetables and annuals.
4. Aerate and dethatch the lawn.
5. Continue watering plants and lawn as needed.
6. Continue weeding as necessary.
7. Plan for replacing worn-out annuals with fall plants like mums.

October – Frost Protection and Clean-Up

1. After the first frost, replace annuals with cold-resistant varieties like pansies, mums, and kale.
2. Protect young trees from frost with tree wraps.
3. Lower mower height to 2 inches if desired.
4. After harvesting vegetables, remove plants, turn soil, and add manure fertilizer for spring readiness.
5. Water flowers, trees, and shrubs until the ground freezes.
6. Bring clay pots and containers indoors to prevent cracking.
7. Continue weeding as necessary.

November – Preparing for Winter

1. Clean and store hoses, tools, and outdoor furniture for winter protection.
2. Remove dead plants and debris to prevent insect infestations.
3. Prune fruit trees, oak, elm, and ornamental trees once dormant.

Winter Lawn and Garden Care

December – Snow Protection and Holiday Prep

1. After heavy snowfalls, brush snow off shrubs and evergreens to prevent damage.
2. Decorate your home with evergreens and indoor blooming plants like paperwhites and amaryllis.
3. Take advantage of holiday sales to stock up on garden tools for next season.
4. After the holidays, consider placing a live cut tree in your yard for birds to use as shelter.

January – Planning for Spring

1. Choose an ice melt safe for flower beds when treating walkways and driveways.
2. Start planning your vegetable garden and order seeds for late winter/early spring planting.
3. Plan for spring flower beds by referring to summer photos and researching desired plants.

February – Indoor Gardening and Seed Prep

1. Continue protecting trees and shrubs from snow damage.
2. Move indoor bulbs to a sunny location once sprouting.
3. Start planting seeds for vegetables and flowers that will be ready for outdoor transplant in early spring.

Conclusion:

With careful attention and planning, your garden can thrive throughout the seasons. From preparing your lawn and plants for winter to planting vibrant flowers in the spring, each step ensures your outdoor space remains beautiful and healthy. Whether you need help with planting, maintenance, or landscape design, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and keep your garden looking its best all year round!

410-970-8410