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
March
- Begin planning gardens and planters for the upcoming season.
- If growing flowers or vegetables, plant seeds indoors. Depending on varieties, generally plant in March or April.
- Check trees and shrubs for winter damage and prune back any damage.
- Remove any annuals left behind from the summer and fall. Clean up perennials and cut back ornamental grasses to allow for new spring growth.
- Cut butterfly bush, hardy hibiscus, Russian sage, elderberry and smokebush back to a few inches above the ground.
- Protect perennial new growth in flowerbeds from freezing nighttime temps by keeping them covered with mulch.
- Beat the spring rush! Call your landscaper to get on the schedule for mulching, maintenance or new landscape design.
April
- Plant trees, shrubs and vines when the soil is thawed and ready. Be sure to follow growers’ instructions for depth and width of holes to be dug.
- Begin pulling back mulch from new growth, however be ready to re-cover in temps dip below freezing.
- As flowers begin to emerge, fertilize with MiracleGro or other balanced fertilizers. Be sure to follow instructions so as not to overdo it.
- Fertilize trees, shrubs and evergreens for a healthy start to the season.
- Before you see new growth, trim hedges and shrubs.
- 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.
- Inspect lawns for bare spots and seed where necessary. Be sure to cover new seed with straw and water regularly.
- Cold-resistant flowers such as pansies and dianthus, as well as vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, peas and onions can be planted.
- Prep vegetable garden and flower bed soil with manure and/or peat moss once the soil is thawed.
- Cut back old perennial growth and ornamental grasses to prepare for new spring growth.
- Treat lawn with crabgrass and weed-preventer.
May
- Fertilize lawn, seed and repair any damaged spots.
- Prune shrubs that bloom in spring such as rhododendron, lilac and forsythia.
- Protect gardens and flowerbeds from deer, rabbits and other pests with a safe repellant.
- Fertilize trees and shrubs.
- Spray fruit trees once blossoms drop.
- Once frost is no longer a danger, it is safe to plant bulbs, annuals and seedlings that were started indoors.
- Begin planting vegetables. Research which herbs and vegetables should be planted when.
- Treat flowerbeds with weed preventer such as Preen.
- Clean out small ponds and water gardens.
- Lawns can be mowed down to 2” if desired.
Summer
June
- Trim hedges as desired, and prune evergreens (early June).
- Shore up tomato plants, make sure climbing plants are attached to trellises, and add support to tall growing plants such as peonies that tend to fall over when they bloom.
- Be sure to water annuals, vegetables and any newly planted perennials during dry spells. Rain water is the best for plants, so consider installing a rain barrel to capture rain water.
- Dead head flowers to keep flowerbeds and hanging baskets looking nice.
- Do regular weeding in gardens and flowerbeds.
- Watch for insect damage and treat flowers, plants and veggies as needed.
- Feed gardens and containers throughout the season with MiracleGro.
July
- Continue regular pruning and dead heading to keep gardens looking neat.
- Continue weeding and lawn care.
- Check vegetables and fruit trees and pick when ready.
- Turn pumpkins, melons, cucumbers and zucchini regularly to avoid rotting.
- Treat vegetable, flowers and plants with safe pest repellants as needed.
- Continue watering flowers, plants, vegetables and your lawn as needed. Keep an eye on water restrictions during dry spells, especially when watering your lawn.
- Prune hedges and ornamental trees as needed.
August
- Begin planning fall planting and landscape maintenance. Now is a good time to call and get on our fall schedule!
- Harvest vegetables as needed. Continue turning pumpkins, squash and melons to prevent rotting.
- Continue watering as needed.
- If harvesting seeds from your vegetable garden, begin collecting them now.
- Divide spring-blooming perennials such as iris, lily of the valley and bleeding heart (late August).
- Inspect any plants that you will be brining indoors over the winter for insects. Treat as needed so they are free of pests when you are ready to bring them inside.
- Prepare for lawn maintenance such as seeding. Seed thin or dead areas in late August/early September. Water seed regularly.
- Continue dead heading flowers to keep them looking healthy.
- Take photos of your full blooming gardens and flower beds. It is often hard to remember which perennials you had where when spring rolls around! Note any areas that you are not happy with so that you can make changes in the spring.
Autumn
September
- Fall is an excellent time to plant trees, shrubs, evergreens and perennials. Be sure to research depth and width required when digging holes. Water regularly.
- Plant spring-blooming bulbs. Add bone meal to help ensure strong roots.
- Remove any vegetables or annuals that have passed their prime.
- Aerate and dethatch lawn.
- Continue watering lawn and plants as needed.
- Continue weeding as necessary.
- Inspect flower beds and begin planning to replace worn out annuals with hearty fall plants and flowers such as mums.
October
- After the first hard frost, remove damaged or worn annuals and replace with cold-resistant varieties such as pansies, ornamental grasses, mums and kale.
- Protect the trunks of young trees from frost damage by covering with tree wraps. Once thicker bark is established this is not necessary.
- Lower mower height to 2” if desired.
- After all vegetables are harvested, remove expired plants, turn soil and add manure fertilizer so it is ready in the spring.
- Continue watering flowers, plants, trees and shrubs until the ground is frozen.
- Bring clay pots and containers indoors to prevent cracking.
- Continue weeding as necessary.
November
- Clean and store hoses, tools and outdoor furniture to prevent winter damage.
- Remove dead plants and debris from gardens and flower beds to help prevent insect infestation.
- Once dormant, it is safe to prune fruit trees, oak and elm trees, and ornamentals.
Winter
December
- After heavy snows, brush snow off of shrubs and evergreens to prevent damage. Be sure that tree wraps are high enough to protect trunks from deep snow.
- Add life to your home during the holidays with evergreens and indoor blooming plants such as paper whites and amaryllis.
- Take advantage of holiday sales to stock up on garden tools and supplies for next season.
- If you enjoy a live cut tree during the holidays, consider placing it in your yard when you are done with it – they make excellent shelters for birds during the harsh winter months.
January
- If using ice melt on walkways and driveways, be sure to choose one that is safe for any flower beds that it may come in contact with.
- Begin planning vegetable garden and order seeds that will need to be planted in late winter/early spring.
- Begin planning for spring flower beds – refer to photos you took over the summer and research which plants and flowers you’d like to enjoy next season.
February
- Continue protecting trees and shrubs from damaging snow loads.
- If you have planted bulbs indoors, move them to a sunny location once they begin to sprout.
- Begin planting seeds for vegetables and flowers that will be ready to transplant outdoors in early spring.
- Need landscaping help for the coming season such as landscape design, planting and mulching? Now is a great time to contact us and get on our spring schedule.
If we can be of assistance with your landscape or hardscape needs, feel free
to call or visit our website to schedule a free estimate.
1-866-984-6484
www.chesapeakelandscape.net
