Garden Calendar

Trained volunteers providing advice and support for home gardeners through Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension

Garden Calendar

Garden tips on a monthly basis-just click on a month,

July

August

September

October

May

November

June

December

March Gardening

	^{Avoid heavy traffic on dormant lawns. Dry grass is easily broken and the crown of the plant may be severely damaged or killed.}
	^{For easier lawn maintenance, eliminate acute angles in beds and borders. Combine single trees or shrubs into a large planting connected with ground covers.}
	^{Don’t store your lawn spreader. Use it to spread sand or sawdust on drives and walkways.}
	^{If you suspect mice or rabbits are eating your bulbs, cover the bed with small mesh chicken wire to deter their feasting.}
	^{During winter thaws, water evergreens, especially those. on the south and west sides of the house.}
	^{To prevent dehydration of broadleaf evergreens, spray them with antidessicant. Make sure the temperature is above 40°F.}
	^{Check perennials to see if any have been pushed out of the ground by alternate freezing and thawing weather. Firmly press down any that have lifted and cover with mulch.}
	^{Remove tent caterpillar egg masses from fruit trees.}
	^{When watering indoor plants, fill a container with tap water and allow the water to warm to room temperature before pouring on cold sensitive plants.}
	^{Turn and prune houseplants regularly to keep them shapely. Pinch back new growth to promote bushiness.}
	^{Check all house plants closely for insect infestations.}
	^{Quarantine gift plants until you determine they aren’t harboring any pests.}
	^{To make economical ”sticky stakes” for trapping whiteflies and aphids, cut bright yellow cardboard or plastic, such as margarine tubs into strips. Coat with petroleum jelly. Insert them into the pots of infested plants. After you have caught your prey, throw them away}

March Gardening

	Take cuttings of geraniums to plant out in May or June. Clean pots and flats to be used for starting seeds.
	Have your lawn’s pH tested. Apply lime to the lawn if indicated by the test. Freezing and thawing will work the lime into the soil.
	Frost seed bare spots in the lawn.
	Use your grapevine prunings to create a wreath.
	Check trees and shrubs for bagworms. Remove them. Bagworms look somewhat like a pine cone hanging at the end of branches.
	When choosing plants for the landscape, remember that plants that are suited to your soil and climate will be more resistant to problems. If you want to experiment with exotics, be prepared to give them more care.
	Late winter is the time to prune many deciduous trees. Look over your plants now and remove dead, dying, unsightly parts of the tree, sprouts growing at the base of the tree trunk, crossed branches, and vshaped crotches.
	Pot up a few clumps of crocuses from the garden as they emerge. In a sunny spot indoors, they will develop blooms sooner than they will outside.
	Check stored bulbs, tubers, and corms. Discard any that are soft or diseased.
	Give your houseplants a shower. Dust build-up on leaves can impede transpiration.
	Never fertilize a plant in dry soil; thoroughly water the plant first to prevent damaging the roots.
	Start slow developing flowers such as alyssum, coleus, dusty miller, geranium, impatiens, phlox, vinca, and verbena in February.
	Don’t start your vegetable plants indoors too early. Six weeks ahead of the expected planting date is early enough for the fast growth species such as cabbage. Eight weeks allows enough time for the slower growing types such as peppers.
	Don’t throw out leek roots, replant them . In 60-90 days you can harvest them again. You can even use the roots of leeks bought at the grocery store, giving you two leeks for the price of one.

March Gardening

	^{Repot houseplants that have grown too large for their containers. Cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth.}
	^{Houseplants can be watered more frequently with the onset of spring and new growth.}
	^{Start tomato seeds now. Keep them warm (72’ F) until they germinate.}
	^{Before working an area in the garden for early spring planting, check the soil. It should be dry enough to crumble in your hand before you work it.}
	^{Gardening in raised beds improves drainage and gives an earlier start in areas with cold, wet soil.}
	^{Crop rotation isn’t just for farmers. Changing locations every year can help prevent some diseases from occurring, especially in the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants). Not only will this help reduce pest problems, but the soil nutrient balance will have a chance to recover. Different families of plants deplete the soil of different nutrients.}
	^{Have your soil tested. Vegetable plants grow best in soil of pH 6.0 to 6.5. .}
	^{Finish pruning trees and shrubs. Don’t leave stubs when pruning; stubs usually die and are entry points for decay fungus. Trees that bleed, such as birch or maple, should not be pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.}
	^{Don’t buy more chemicals than you can use in a season. Dispose of aged or no longer used chemicals according to local regulations. Do not pour them down the drain or on the ground, as they can pollute the water system, damage the soil, or injure you if you come into contact with them.}
	^{Keep off soft and soggy lawns. Lime spreaders, wheelbarrows and other equipment will leave compaction marks.}
	^{Begin removing winter mulch from perennials.}
	^{Ornamental grasses can be pruned now to get them in shape for spring. Overcrowded clumps can be divided and replanted.}

March Gardening

	Fertilize evergreens.
	Check ornamentals for spider mites.
	Easter Lilies need bright, indirect light and moist soil. After blooming, they can be planted in a sunny spot after danger of frost is over, but don’t plant them near other lilies. Easter lilies carry a virus that can infect other lilies.
	Indoors, sow seeds of impatiens. Keep at 72’F until seeds sprout.
	Prune and fertilize old roses. Plant new rose bushes.
	Destroy gypsy moth egg masses. They are brown fuzzy masses on tree bark.
	Prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering is completed.
	Outside plant parsley, chives, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and carrots. When iris leaves appear weak and thin, check for borers. These grub-like insects can ruin the plant if not detected early.
	Apply pre-emergent crabgrass control in mid April.
	Seed new lawns. Reseed bare spots. Do not mow the grass until at least 4” tall. The roots are being renewed in the spring and grass needs vigorous top growth initially.
	The first grass clippings are rich in nutrients and contain fewer weed seeds than those collected later. Put them in the compost pile, use a mulching mower, or mow frequently and leave them on the ground.
	Overgrown summer and fall perennials can be dug, divided, and transplanted.

March Gardening

	^{Minimize foot traffic on a frozen lawn to reduce winter damage.}
	^{Check tubers and corms in storage. If they are sprouting, put them in a cooler spot. If they are shriveling, rewrap in paper bags with peat moss or sawdust. Moldy or damaged roots should be discarded.}
	^{Protect trunks of trees, particularly fruit trees, from hungry mice and rabbits with quarter inch hardware cloth. To discourage insects from hatching when nuts, seed pods, and cones are brought in for holiday arrangements, place them in the oven on the lowest setting for an hour.}
	^{Some of the potted plants you receive during the holiday season are not meant to be kept as permanent houseplants. They were raised in a greenhouse and do not adapt well to home conditions. Treat them like cut flowers, enjoy them as long as possible, but discard them when they become unattractive.}
	^{Watch out for spider mites on houseplants. They thrive in dry air . Isolate the infested plant. Wash it with plain water. If this fails, use the appropriate insecticide. Follow the instructions on the label.}
	^{Rotate houseplants in dim locations to sunny spots to keep them in prime condition.}
	^{Save cardboard cylinders from holiday wrapping paper for making biodegradable cutworm collars. In the spring cut the cylinders into 3" sections to fit around your transplants.}
	^{Try coating your snow shovel with a “no-stick” cooking spray; the snow slides right off. Re-coat as needed.}
	^{As with all living things, plants have a life span and eventually will need to be replaced. .}

Garden Calendar

Avoid heavy traffic on dormant lawns. Dry grass is easily broken and the crown of the plant may be severely damaged or killed.

For easier lawn maintenance, eliminate acute angles in beds and borders. Combine single trees or shrubs into a large planting connected with ground covers.

Don’t store your lawn spreader. Use it to spread sand or sawdust on drives and walkways.

If you suspect mice or rabbits are eating your bulbs, cover the bed with small mesh chicken wire to deter their feasting.

During winter thaws, water evergreens, especially those. on the south and west sides of the house.

To prevent dehydration of broadleaf evergreens, spray them with antidessicant. Make sure the temperature is above 40°F.

Check perennials to see if any have been pushed out of the ground by alternate freezing and thawing weather. Firmly press down any that have lifted and cover with mulch.

Remove tent caterpillar egg masses from fruit trees.

When watering indoor plants, fill a container with tap water and allow the water to warm to room temperature before pouring on cold sensitive plants.

Turn and prune houseplants regularly to keep them shapely. Pinch back new growth to promote bushiness.

Check all house plants closely for insect infestations.

Quarantine gift plants until you determine they aren’t harboring any pests.

To make economical ”sticky stakes” for trapping whiteflies and aphids, cut bright yellow cardboard or plastic, such as margarine tubs into strips. Coat with petroleum jelly. Insert them into the pots of infested plants. After you have caught your prey, throw them away

Take cuttings of geraniums to plant out in May or June. Clean pots and flats to be used for starting seeds.

Have your lawn’s pH tested. Apply lime to the lawn if indicated by the test. Freezing and thawing will work the lime into the soil.

Frost seed bare spots in the lawn.

Use your grapevine prunings to create a wreath.

Check trees and shrubs for bagworms. Remove them. Bagworms look somewhat like a pine cone hanging at the end of branches.

When choosing plants for the landscape, remember that plants that are suited to your soil and climate will be more resistant to problems. If you want to experiment with exotics, be prepared to give them more care.

Late winter is the time to prune many deciduous trees. Look over your plants now and remove dead, dying, unsightly parts of the tree, sprouts growing at the base of the tree trunk, crossed branches, and vshaped crotches.

Pot up a few clumps of crocuses from the garden as they emerge. In a sunny spot indoors, they will develop blooms sooner than they will outside.

Check stored bulbs, tubers, and corms. Discard any that are soft or diseased.

Give your houseplants a shower. Dust build-up on leaves can impede transpiration.

Never fertilize a plant in dry soil; thoroughly water the plant first to prevent damaging the roots.

Start slow developing flowers such as alyssum, coleus, dusty miller, geranium, impatiens, phlox, vinca, and verbena in February.

Don’t start your vegetable plants indoors too early. Six weeks ahead of the expected planting date is early enough for the fast growth species such as cabbage. Eight weeks allows enough time for the slower growing types such as peppers.

Don’t throw out leek roots, replant them . In 60-90 days you can harvest them again. You can even use the roots of leeks bought at the grocery store, giving you two leeks for the price of one.

Repot houseplants that have grown too large for their containers. Cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth.

Houseplants can be watered more frequently with the onset of spring and new growth.

Start tomato seeds now. Keep them warm (72’ F) until they germinate.

Before working an area in the garden for early spring planting, check the soil. It should be dry enough to crumble in your hand before you work it.

Gardening in raised beds improves drainage and gives an earlier start in areas with cold, wet soil.

Have your soil tested. Vegetable plants grow best in soil of pH 6.0 to 6.5. .

Finish pruning trees and shrubs. Don’t leave stubs when pruning; stubs usually die and are entry points for decay fungus. Trees that bleed, such as birch or maple, should not be pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.

Don’t buy more chemicals than you can use in a season. Dispose of aged or no longer used chemicals according to local regulations. Do not pour them down the drain or on the ground, as they can pollute the water system, damage the soil, or injure you if you come into contact with them.

Keep off soft and soggy lawns. Lime spreaders, wheelbarrows and other equipment will leave compaction marks.

Begin removing winter mulch from perennials.

Ornamental grasses can be pruned now to get them in shape for spring. Overcrowded clumps can be divided and replanted.

Fertilize evergreens.

Check ornamentals for spider mites.

Easter Lilies need bright, indirect light and moist soil. After blooming, they can be planted in a sunny spot after danger of frost is over, but don’t plant them near other lilies. Easter lilies carry a virus that can infect other lilies.

Indoors, sow seeds of impatiens. Keep at 72’F until seeds sprout.

Prune and fertilize old roses. Plant new rose bushes.

Destroy gypsy moth egg masses. They are brown fuzzy masses on tree bark.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering is completed.

Outside plant parsley, chives, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and carrots. When iris leaves appear weak and thin, check for borers. These grub-like insects can ruin the plant if not detected early.

Apply pre-emergent crabgrass control in mid April.

Seed new lawns. Reseed bare spots. Do not mow the grass until at least 4” tall. The roots are being renewed in the spring and grass needs vigorous top growth initially.

The first grass clippings are rich in nutrients and contain fewer weed seeds than those collected later. Put them in the compost pile, use a mulching mower, or mow frequently and leave them on the ground.

Overgrown summer and fall perennials can be dug, divided, and transplanted.

Minimize foot traffic on a frozen lawn to reduce winter damage.

Check tubers and corms in storage. If they are sprouting, put them in a cooler spot. If they are shriveling, rewrap in paper bags with peat moss or sawdust. Moldy or damaged roots should be discarded.

Protect trunks of trees, particularly fruit trees, from hungry mice and rabbits with quarter inch hardware cloth. To discourage insects from hatching when nuts, seed pods, and cones are brought in for holiday arrangements, place them in the oven on the lowest setting for an hour.

Some of the potted plants you receive during the holiday season are not meant to be kept as permanent houseplants. They were raised in a greenhouse and do not adapt well to home conditions. Treat them like cut flowers, enjoy them as long as possible, but discard them when they become unattractive.

Watch out for spider mites on houseplants. They thrive in dry air . Isolate the infested plant. Wash it with plain water. If this fails, use the appropriate insecticide. Follow the instructions on the label.

Rotate houseplants in dim locations to sunny spots to keep them in prime condition.

Save cardboard cylinders from holiday wrapping paper for making biodegradable cutworm collars. In the spring cut the cylinders into 3" sections to fit around your transplants.

Try coating your snow shovel with a “no-stick” cooking spray; the snow slides right off. Re-coat as needed.

As with all living things, plants have a life span and eventually will need to be replaced. .

^{Avoid heavy traffic on dormant lawns. Dry grass is easily broken

and the crown of the plant may be severely damaged or killed.}

^{For easier lawn maintenance, eliminate acute angles in beds and

borders. Combine single trees or shrubs into a large planting

connected with ground covers.}

^{Don’t store your lawn spreader. Use it to spread sand or sawdust

on drives and walkways.}

^{If you suspect mice or rabbits are eating your bulbs, cover the

bed with small mesh chicken wire to deter their feasting.}

^{During winter thaws, water evergreens, especially those. on the

south and west sides of the house.}

^{To prevent dehydration of broadleaf evergreens, spray them with

antidessicant. Make sure the temperature is above 40°F.}

^{Check perennials to see if any have been pushed out of the

ground by alternate freezing and thawing weather. Firmly press

down any that have lifted and cover with mulch.}

^{Remove tent caterpillar egg masses from fruit trees.}

^{When watering indoor plants, fill a container with tap water and

allow the water to warm to room temperature before pouring on

cold sensitive plants.}

^{Turn and prune houseplants regularly to keep them shapely. Pinch

back new growth to promote bushiness.}

^{Check all house plants closely for insect infestations.}

^{Quarantine gift plants until you determine they aren’t harboring

any pests.}

^{To make economical ”sticky stakes” for trapping whiteflies and

aphids, cut bright yellow cardboard or plastic, such as

margarine tubs into strips. Coat with petroleum jelly. Insert

them into the pots of infested plants. After you have caught

your prey, throw them away}

^{Repot houseplants that have grown too large for their

containers. Cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth.}

^{Houseplants can be watered more frequently with the

onset of spring and new growth.}

^{Start tomato seeds now. Keep them warm (72’ F) until

they germinate.}

^{Before working an area in the garden for early spring

planting, check the soil. It should be dry enough to crumble in your

hand before you work it.}

^{Gardening in raised beds improves drainage and gives

an earlier start in areas with cold, wet soil.}

^{Have your soil tested. Vegetable plants grow best in

soil of pH 6.0 to 6.5. .}

^{Finish pruning trees and shrubs. Don’t leave stubs

when pruning; stubs usually die and are entry points for decay

fungus. Trees that bleed, such as birch or maple, should not be

pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.}

^{Don’t buy more chemicals than you can use in a

season. Dispose of aged or no longer used chemicals according to

local regulations. Do not pour them down the drain or on the ground,

as they can pollute the water system, damage the soil, or injure you

if you come into contact with them.}

^{Keep off soft and soggy lawns. Lime spreaders,

wheelbarrows and other equipment will leave compaction marks.}

^{Begin removing winter mulch from perennials.}

^{Ornamental grasses can be pruned now to get them in

shape for spring. Overcrowded clumps can be divided and replanted.}

^{Minimize foot traffic on a

frozen lawn to reduce winter damage.}

^{Check tubers and corms in

storage. If they are sprouting, put them in a cooler spot. If

they are shriveling, rewrap in paper bags with peat moss

or sawdust. Moldy or damaged roots should be discarded.}

^{Protect trunks of trees,

particularly fruit trees, from hungry mice and rabbits with

quarter inch hardware cloth. To discourage insects from

hatching when nuts, seed pods, and cones are brought in for

holiday arrangements, place them in the oven on the lowest

setting for an hour.}

^{Watch out for spider mites on

houseplants. They thrive in dry air . Isolate the infested

plant. Wash it with plain water. If this fails, use the

appropriate insecticide. Follow the instructions on the label.}

^{Rotate houseplants in dim

locations to sunny spots to keep them in prime condition.}

^{Save cardboard cylinders from

holiday wrapping paper for making biodegradable cutworm collars.

In the spring cut the cylinders into 3" sections to fit around

your transplants.}

^{Try coating your snow shovel

with a “no-stick” cooking spray; the snow slides right off.

Re-coat as needed.}

^{As with all living things,

plants have a life span and eventually will need to be replaced.

.}