FALL TO DO LIST

FALL: SEPTEMBER> OCTOBER> NOVEMBER

SEPTEMBER:

• Plant fall plantings for late colour and interest. (Mums etc...)
• Seed a fall spinach crop
• Seed cover crops on bare spots in the vegetable garden
• Maintain:
• Correct any soil deficiencies; healthy soil is crucial to healthy plants. The key quality of soil is that it can breathe; it must be able to hold moisture and air.
• Begin collecting seeds as they loosen in their pods. Save in moisture free environment for propagating next spring.

OCTOBER> NOVEMBER

• (Garden Clean-up/Mulching/Cut Back perennials/Plant Bulbs)
• Plant garlic and shallots
• Have your soil tested and amend as needed
• Harvest Brussel sprouts after a hard frost
• Maintain
• Clean up garden debris. Remove all vegetable plants and fallen fruit.
• Remove dead annuals from the garden, after a frost.
• Cut back perennial foliage to discourage over wintering pests. Leave flowers with seeds for the birds.
• Start raking and composting leaves
• Add fallen leaves to compost pile and continue turning.
• Begin preparation for over wintering. Determine which plants require protection and which ones will withstand the winter and provide interest in the garden.
• This is really the best time to Plant Trees and Shrubs. as they are dormant and will have time to acclimate to their new home. Replant those areas that were problem spots in the growing season.
• Not a good time to prune any Tree or Shrubs Especially Azaleas and Rhododendrons
• Plant Bulbs in November
• Trim back perennials to 2-3", move cuttings to compost to discourage fungus and rot in your containers. Keep ornamental grasses to maintain some interesting texture

SUMMER TO DO LIST

SUMMER: JUNE> JULY> AUGUST

JUNE:

• Evaluate the garden structure for empty spots. Plant annuals for quick colour or perennials for continued growth and structural balance.
• Plant summer bulbs such as Gladiolas and Dahlias.
• Maintain:
• Prune flowering shrubs after the flowers begin to fade
• Continue pinching flowers until July 4th
• Deadhead and remove fading leaves from spring bloomers
• Divide and transplant perennials
• Remove fallen fruits from below trees to prevent insect egg laying
• Place red sticky sphere traps in apple trees to control apple maggot flies
• Check undersides of rose leaves for rose slugs
• Watch for scale infestations on Euonymus and pachysandra
• Move houseplants outside
• Stake up vines or heavy headed blooms like Peonies. Use stakes that either blend into the landscape bamboo and twigs) or add architectural trellis
• Harvest early vegetables as they mature.
• Prune deadwood or disease from shrubs. Keep a close eye on roses for black spot.
• Remove dead blooms from perennials, this will encourage more blooms.

JULY:

• Summer annuals, dig and divide spring-blooming perennial; plant summer-blooming ones.
• Try propagating your own plants. They can be started several ways: division, layering, stem cuttings, root cuttings or seeds. It's cheaper than buying from a nursery and you can start a tradition of trading plants with friends and family.
• Maintain:
• Stop pinching back flowers
• Divide oriental poppies and iris
• Keep deadheading
• Remove leaves infested by miners, to control spread
• Succession plant beans, lettuce, radishes and corn
• Water newly planted trees and plants as necessary
• Start seeds of fall crops like: broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
• Trees: feed regularly, but don't overdo it. Yellowing or undersized foliage will indicate a lack of nourishment. When moving or transplanting into containers with existing plants be careful not to disturb the roots. If you find it necessary to trim away roots, be sure to trim away a corresponding amount of upper growth.

AUGUST:

• Continue to dig, divide and replant permanent plantings. Most perennials will out grow their containers and will require planting every two to three years. Then again, some plants like being crowded into the same old pot.
• Seed a fall crop of peas. Gather herbs and flowers for drying
• Maintain:
• Keep dead heading and harvesting
• Begin taking cuttings for new plants
• Sit and enjoy your garden in all its summer glory
• Prune only to retain shape and do not prune spring-flowering shrubs such as Azaleas or Rhododendrons.
• Trim and continue to train topiary and espaliers.

SPRING TO DO LIST

SPRING: MARCH> APRIL> MAY

MARCH:

• Plant perennials and evergreen shrubs -
• (Annuals should be started in flatbeds indoors until each plant has at least four leaves.)
• Plant your peas on St.Patrick’s Day. (If there’s no snow stopping you.)
• Start slow growing and cool season seeds like: onions, leeks, parsley, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant and peppers
• Prune non-stone fruit trees, grapes and raspberries. Start all-purpose spray regimen.
• Begin removing mulch from around rose bushes
• Deadhead bulbs as they finish blooming, but leave the foliage to die naturally. This will nourish the bulb for next year.
• Move highlight plants to the for front as they start to bloom. Containers allow you to change the look of your garden from month to month.
• Begin horticultural oil (dormant oil) applications where needed to control pests
• Prune vines and roses as they start to bud.

APRIL:

• Plant tender vegetables and annuals as soon as the danger of frost is gone (Pansy OK).
• Divide and replant perennials that every 2 to 3 years or based on their growth & size of pot.
• Plant asparagus roots and onion sets.
• Prune back conifers as they begin sprouting to retain shape.
• Now is the time to prune Azaleas and Rhododendrons as they finish blooming.
• Start watering regularly, make sure that new plants are kept moist as their roots establish.
• Re-mulch beds as necessary
• Remove tent caterpillars and webs
• Begin monitoring for signs of disease
• Have irrigation system turned on.

MAY:

• Begin Early Summer Planting/Annuals and Perennials
• Once your last frost date has passed, warm season crops can be planted (Herbs, etc,,,)
• Start seeds for melon and squash. Hold until the end of May, to avert squash bugs and borers.
• Plant vines, shrubs and trees. Consider Honeysuckle and Clematis for summer and fall color, shrubs like Azalea and Escalonia for structure and fruit trees specifically hybridized for decks.
• Begin pinching annuals and perennials to make the plants fill in and produce more blooms
• Prune evergreens when the new growth starts to turn a darker shade of green
• Prune stone fruits (cherry, almond, peach, nectarine, plum) at bloom time
• Remove and dispose of azalea leaf gals before they turn white and release their spores: (The leaves and entire shoots become thickened, curled, fleshy and pale green to white. In the latter stages of the disease, the galls are covered with a white powdery substance. The disease is more alarming than damaging. If you only have a few plants, control the disease by hand picking and destroying diseased leaves. )
• Fertilize regularly, the soil in containers tends to wash out fairly quickly. Pick a day of the week to fertilize with an organic food.
• Keep an eye out for hungry bugs like: aphids, leaf hoppers, potato bugs, cut worms & June bugs.

WINTER TO DO LIST

WINTER: DECEMBER> JANUARY> FEBRUARY

• Start forcing paperwhites and amaryllis for winter blooms
• Holiday Decor/Lights
• Scout tree branches and limbs for signs of egg masses
• Plan Your Garden
• Do not plant in cold, soggy soil. Ensure the ground is frost free
• MAINTAIN
• Prune shrubs and trees of winter damage
• Cut branches of flowering shrubs like forsythia, pussy willow, quince and magnolia to bring inside for forcing
• Inspect hemlocks for over wintering woolly adelgid

Green Walls!

this is a great article on Green Walls. Check it out.

Green Walls

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

This is of interest to people who go to BBG. They have a fantastic library upstairs in the Visitor Center building. Members can take out books and anyone can go and just sit and read. It is a lovely space to go and just sit if you have some time. Here is a link.BBG LIBRARY

Urban Sanctuary

I was recently in Key West and Kate and I came across this private garden that is open to the public. http://www.nfsgarden.com/

here are a few pics from there. If anyone can help us ID some that would be nice.

Kate in the Garden


Massive Black Bamboo