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GARDEN
CALENDAR
January
Flowers
Snowdrop or Carnation
Month
Pear
trees pruned
Bird feeders and baths
Knock heavy snow off evergreens
Week 1
Review
seed catalogues on web and order
Week 2
Review
summer bulb catalogues and order
Week 3
Week 4
Cuttings
of tender perennials: geraniums, begonias, impatiens, browallia, fuchsia,
hibiscus, bougainvillea
February
Flowers
Violet
or Primrose
Bird feeders and baths
Month
Week 1
Start
dahlia tubers indoors for cuttings
Order Valentine’s Day Flowers
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Start
tuberous begonias and cannas indoors
Take cuttings of dahlias started earlier this month
March
Flowers
Jonquil
or Daffodil
Month
Bird
feeders and baths
Commence fertilizing indoor plants
Check lawn for winter damage and grub infestations
Week 1
Cut
back ornamental grasses
Fertilize established asparagus beds
Week 2
Prune
fruit trees
Apply dormant spray
Week 3
Sow
indoors tomato, pepper, eggplant, yard-long bean seed
Week 4
Remove
winter mulches
Commence slug and earwig control
Municipal regulations permitting, burn wildflower pastures to encourage prairie
conditions
Plant pansies
April
Flowers
Sweet
Pea or Daisy
Month
Deadhead
bulb flowers
Bird feeders and baths
Service sprinkler system
Check on hose and watering equipment
Purchase extra lettuce, spinach, beet, carrot, radish seed for late summer sowings
Sow parsley on Good Friday, and other day is very unlucky
Parsley: extremely dangerous to transplant and unlucky to give the roots away;
for young women plant some and expect a child.
Week 1
Sow
peas, radish, green onions, parsley
Plant pansies
Trim lawn edges with turf knife
Week 2
Dethatch
lawn
Clean and service ornamental pools, refill and turn on pump
Split and replant perennials except bearded iris
Sow lettuce, beet, spinach, chard, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower,
kale, leeks
Sow hardy herbs in situ: parsley, chervil, oregano, marjoram, sage, dill
Week 3
Uncover
roses, prune, fertilize and mulch with composted manure
Prune summer-flowering clematis
Possible lawn fertilizing combined with crabgrass control and/or weed killers
Plant garlic, shallot sets
Week 4
Sow
beans, cucumbers, squash, melon, pumpkin
Grow cucumbers and beans up stakes or on fences to maximize space
Plant hardy annuals: marigolds, petunias
May
Flowers
Lily-of-the-Valley
or Hawthorn
Month
Deadhead
bulb flowers
Weeding
Bird baths
Watch for first aphids
Caution purchasing basil plants owing to disease
Repot houseplants if necessary, but be wary of over-potting
Week 1
Fertilize
lawns
Fertilize spring bulbs
Order Mother’s Day Flowers
Week 2
Position
peony rings
Harden off tender perennials from indoors
Check Canadian flag(s) for Victoria Day
Week 3
Purchase
tender annuals
Week 4
Time
to plant tomatoes, peppers out when bikinis appear on the beach
Move basil plants outside
June
Flowers
Rose
or Honeysuckle
Month
Add
guppies to ornamental pools to eat mosquito larvae
Deadhead rhododendrons
Weeding
Bird baths
Week 1
Prune
forsythia, junipers, yews, pines, spruce, firs, hemlock
Plant out eggplant, yard-long bean
Stake tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, yard-long beans
Move houseplants outside for summer, if desired, commencing in shade
Week 2
Mulch
beets to keep soil cool
Week 3
Deadhead
lilacs, roses
Week 4
Prune
lilacs
Check Canadian flag(s) for Canada Day
July
Flowers
Larkspur
or Water Lily
Month
Weeding
Bird
baths
Watering
Week 1
Lawn
grub control
Week 2
Split
and replant bearded iris
Week 3
Sow
lettuce, spinach for fall crops
Week 4
August
Flowers
Poppy
or Gladiolus
Month
Bird
baths
Watering
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Overseed
lawn
Week 4
September
Flowers
Aster
or Morning Glory
Month
Prune
maples, birches, poplars, willows
Purchase
soils, composts, peat moss from retail outlets before they sell out for the year
Bird
baths
Weeding
Week 1
Start
poinsettia on 12/12 light/dark cycle to bloom by December
Week 2
Purchase
and plant spring-flowering bulbs
Protect
bulbs plants from squirrels by covering beds with twiggy branches
Week 3
Fertilize
peonies with high-phosphate blend
Plant
new peonies with crown 2-inches below grade
Week 4
Cease
deadheading roses
October
Flowers
Calendula
or Cosmos
Month
Rake
up and discard all rose leaves
Rake
and compost leaves or shred and mulch
Bird
feeders and baths
Start
Paper Whites and prepared Hyacinths indoors at weekly intervals
Start Amaryllis
Watch
for final sales on fertilizers, growing mediums, soil amendments
Week 1
Bring
houseplants indoors
Save
stock plants of tender tropical perennials
Week 2
Week 3
Split
and replant vigorous perennials such as hosta and day lilies
Commence
spritzing indoor plants at least weekly, of not daily.
Week 4
Halloween
decorations
Final
mow of lawn down to ½-inch
November
Flowers
Chrysanthemum
Month
Prune
back and winter-protect roses
Rake
and compost leaves or shred and mulch
Mulch
rhododendrons, other ericas with pine needles, oak leaves or peat moss
Cut
back perennials except for ornamental grasses
Bird
feeders and baths
Commence
applying monthly protecting insecticidal soap spray to indoor plants at risk
Week 1
Clean
windows to maximize light reaching indoor plants
Mulch
root vegetables to slow frost penetration into ground
Week 2
Christmas
lights and other decorations
Week 3
Winter
wrap evergreens
Week 4
Clean,
sharpen tools and store for winter
Service
powered law mowers, store safely and properly
December
Flowers
Holly
or Narcissus
Month
Check
all gift plants for unwanted pests; use precautionary spray
Mistletoe
is a holy plant; unlucky to cut any time except Christmas; it is very unlucky to
cut down a mistletoe-bearing tree; it brings good luck and fertility; everyone
who kisses under it will ensure happiness and prosperity of the house in the
coming year; this works only in the home, not the office.
Week 1
Cease
fertilizing indoor plants unless in bud or flower
Week 2
Fertilize
trees and shrubs
Purchase
Christmas tree; treat this and other evergreens before decorating
Week 3
Week 4
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