Things to do in the garden in…
January
- check your seed supply, order new seeds;
- to test old seeds to make sure they will germinate place 10 seeds between moist paper towels, keep warm and moist, if fewer than 6 seeds sprout then purchase new seeds;
- clean garden tools, remove soil, use sandpaper if necessary and steel wool or a wire brush to remove rust and debris, lightly oil the metal parts to prevent rust, treat wood handles with boiled linseed oil and paint the handles with a bright color to make them easier to find in the garden;
- inspect evergreens for snow damage, remove snow from evergreens with a broom using an upward motion, prune any damaged limbs;
February
- don’t remove mulch from perennials too early, don’t be fooled by early warm days;
- watch for signs of growth in early spring bulbs, when foliage is 1 inch high start to remove mulch gradually;
- prune deciduous and summer flowering trees and shrubs while they are dormant, prune back to a bud or a branch, when cutting back to a bud make sure the bud is facing outward, causing new growth to the outside of the plant, leave pruning wounds unpainted, painting does not prevent decay or bleeding;
- rejuvenate shrubs by cutting them back to 4-6 inches high, spirea, honeysuckle and privet are good candidates for rejuvenation;
- do not prune spring flowering shrubs until after they flower;
- water evergreens if soil is dry and not frozen;
- start seeds for impatiens, begonias, geraniums;
- plant garlic cloves in a small pot about 2-3 inches deep with points up, sprouts can be snipped to use as a seasoning;
- re-pot root-bound houseplants, plant into a pot that is 2-3 inches larger in diameter than the original container;
- force spirea, dogwood, cherry, pussy willow, forsythia, flowering quince into flower, cut branches that have plump bulbs, with a sharp knife split the cut end 1-4 inches, place cut branches in containers of warm water, and re-cut 1 inch from base of stem, it will take from one to eight weeks for the blossoms to open, the closer to their natural bloom time you cut the branches the sooner they will bloom;
March
- plant spinach as soon soil can be worked;
- plant potatoes from mid-march though mid-april;
- plant onions sets in late march;
- prune yews in late march through early april;
- prune bramble fruits and grapes and retrain remaining vines;
- transplant small trees and shrubs now while they are still dormant, soil should be moist before digging, keep as much soil as possible intact around the root ball, water if needed;
- prune summer flowering shrubs that bloom after June 15th like hydrangeas while they are still dormant, they will form flower buds during the growing season, do not prune spring flowering shrubs now;
- cut ornamental grasses back to about 4-6 inches, remove any dead leaves or debris from the crown of the plant;
- start summer bulbs indoors, like tuberous begonias, caladiums, lillies, dahlias, elephant ears: plant 2-3 inches deep in 6-inch pots, plant outside after danger of frost is past, usually mid-may, caladiums also make colorful houseplants, keep plants growing in bright sunlight, cut leaves back periodically to promote new growth;
- start certain vegetable seedlings indoors such as cabbage, onion, broccoli and cauliflower but wait until april to start warm season crops;
- consider using a floating row cover or cold frame to get your vegetables off to an early start;
- turn your compost pile on warm spring days to help get the decomposition process going;
- try a new perennial vegetable like asparagus, the crowns can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in shallow trenches about 6 inches deep in full sun, work some compost into the soil before planting, space the crowns about 10-12 inches apart in rows that are about 4-5 feet apart, don’t harvest spears until the 3rd growing season, after that harvest 6-8 inch spears until June;
April
- start seeds for warm weather vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplants;
- divide hostas and other summer and fall-blooming perennials, good candidates are ones that had reduced flowering and their flowers were smaller, if growth in the center of the plant died out, if the plant lost vigor;
- plant broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, potatoes, cauliflower, asparagus, beets, carrots, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, peas, rhubarb, spinach, parsley and turnips;
May
- plant tomato, vine crops, pepper and eggplant transplants after mid-may;
- seed snap beans after may 15, sow every 15 days for continuous production;
- plant tender bulbs such as gladioli, dahlias and caladium after may 15;
- attract ladybugs to the garden by planting dill, catnip, thyme, daises, coneflower, yarrow, tansy, alyssium, marigolds and salvias;
- do not cut back foliage on bulbs such as tulips and daffodils until June, if flowers have become smaller or less abundant the bulbs may need to be divided, in June dig up and re-space;
- mulch plants in late May when the soil has warmed, dry grass clippings work well;
- be alert for a late spring frost and prepared to cover tender plants with row cover, cardboard, blankets, etc..;
The storage life of seeds varies widely. Are your seeds still viable? From Victory Seed Company here is a general guide:
- short-lived seeds (1-2 years): corn, onion, parsley, parsnip, pepper
- intermediate seeds (3-4 years): asparagus, bean, broccoli, carrot, celery, leek, pea, spinach
- long-lived seeds (4-5 years): beet, chard, cabbage family (brussels sprouts, cauliflower) turnip, radish, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, muskmelon, pumpkin-squash group, tomato, watermelon
Keep seeds in a labeled container or envelope in a cool, dry place where they are protected from insects.
June
July
August
September
October
- early October will be your last days to sow a winter cover crop depending upon the mix;
November
- get the compost pile ready, add as many leaves and coffee grounds as you can;
- dig up any summer bulbs after the first freeze;
December
- using some spun-fabric row cover you can grow greens, carrots, scallions, etc.. into December just being careful to cover everything up on the coldest nights;
