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 Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:27 pm
Not a this-must-be-done-at-this-time list, but a general guide broken down into seasons and months of some maintenance chores that you might not have thought of before. Since we all don't live in the same climate use the seasons more as a guide to give you an idea of when you should be doing stuff. Feel free to add to the list or suggest changes.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:26 am
SPRING
March
1. Plant first early potatoes in mild areas where the soil is workable
2. Spring prune fruit trees like Peaches and Nectarines
3. Sow some Sweet Peas to grow alongside your Runner Beans
4. Plant more onion sets and also some more shallots
5. Spread some wood ash or high potash nutrient on raspberries and strawberries
6. Plant a few Gladioli corms for some early cutting flowers
7. Sow Lettuce, Parsley, Coriander, Basil, Red Cabbage, Cauliflower in the coldframe
8. Sow some Tomatoes and Cape Gooseberry in a heated propagator
9. Sow Radish, NZ Spinach, Carrots and Parsnips directly in the ground in milder areas
10. Sow Peas in guttering at two-week intervals - place in coldframe or under fleece
11. March is a good time to propagate most plants.
12. Now is a good time to plant fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, and roses. Plant these dormant plants as soon as they are received. If you are not able to plant upon receipt, store bare-root plants in a cold area.
13. March through April is a good time to start seeds indoors and begin preparing planting beds as soon as the soil can be worked.
14. There is often a strong temptation to start removing winter mulches from your flower beds.... WAIT!!! Pull the mulch off gradually as the plants show signs of new growth. The purpose of winter mulch is to act as a protector from sudden changes of temperature and chilling winds, so keep in mind that it is still winter. Acclimatize your plants by removing the mulch over a period of days, allowing the light and air to reach the new growth slowly. It is much better to remove the mulch a little later than to remove it to early.
15. Take a little time to prepare the vegetable garden soil for planting. The addition of well-rotted manure, processed manure, peat moss or compost are good additives for building compost humus in the soil. There is no need to dig soil deeply every year unless you want to incorporate more compost, gravel or other soil conditioners. Forking over the surface to remove old crops and weeds should be sufficient for most people.
16. March is a good time to note areas of poor drainage. If there are pools of water in your yard that do not drain. Fill in the low spot or scoop out a channel for the water to drain away.
17. Clean out all of your birdhouses now, so that they will be ready when the birds return.
18. Repair any fencing, arbors, or trellis work that is weak or has broken over the winter ... before you get too busy!
19. Clear away old plant debris from around the margins of ponds and use a net to scoop out any leaves that have fallen into the water.
April
1. Start sowing in earnest with Kale, Parsnip, Carrots and Broadbeans directly into the ground
2. Finish planting new fruit bushes
3. Put up your bean poles
4. Transplant tomato seedlings to individual pots. Still keep them inside
5. Plant out Peas grown in guttering, sow more as you do and draw soil up around them as they grow
6. Harden off Sweet Peas
7. Sow successional crops such as lettuce, radish, rocket, spring onions, peas etc, every two weeks
8. Sow some winter green such as Winter Cabbage and Sprouting Broccoli
9. Clean up the strawberry bed; remove any dead or dying leaves
10. Plant Brussels Sprouts and Spring Cabbage and Asparagus Crowns
11. Now is the time to remove part of the mulch from strawberry plants. Leave the mulch between the rows in order to re-apply in the case of predicted frost.
12. Put collars around young transplants to prevent cutworms and cabbage maggots
13. Control weeds and aerate the soil by cultivating between the rows of plants.
14. As your direct-seeded crops sprout, be sure to keep them thinned out to avoid crowding
15. Cut out all the dead canes from your raspberry patch. The new canes that will bear this year's fruit should have new, swollen buds along the edges. Thin these to five canes per foot of row to allow good air circulation and prevent overcrowding.
16. Watch out for slugs and snails. Trap them under tiles or grapefruit skins and dispose of them daily. Sprinkling a layer of sand, grit or crushed eggshells around plants may help.
17. Place plant support frames over clumps of tall perennials so that new stems will grow up through them and hide them completely
18. Control the growth of climbing plants on walls of houses and outbuildings if they start to block gutters or grow under tiles. Cut them away from doors and windows too.
May
1. Sow Runner Beans either in cold frame or direct in your prepared bean trench
2. Sow Sweetcorn in modules or toilet roll tubes in coldframe
3. Sow French Beans directly into the soil
4. Harden off Tomatoes and plant out at the end of the month in good rich soil
5. Sow cucumber and gherkins in the cold frame or greenhouse
6. Plant out Brussels Sprouts but use the ground in between them for a catch crop of cauliflower or cabbage
7. Carry on sowing successional crops such as lettuce, radish, rocket, spring onions, peas etc, every two weeks
8. Thin Carrot and Beetroot sowings
9. Net Strawberries against bird attack and pack straw around them to discourage slugs and protect fruit from mud splashes
10. Keep Onions and Shallots free from weeds
11. Select annual flowers to fill in the empty spaces of the perennial gardens. For best results, select short, stocky plants with dark green foliage.
12. Spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia and Lilac should be pruned after they bloom. Remove about half of the old thick branches - cutting them to the ground. The newer, younger growth produces better flowers.
13. Remove any sucker growths from fruit trees as soon as they appear
14. Pines and other conifers can be kept to a compact size by pinching off the new growth 'candles'.
15. If the weather refuses to cooperate with your gardening plans, and your seeds have refused to germinate due to cold and wet conditions, you may want to consider replanting a reserve crop (Just in case....)
16. The compost pile should be getting a lot of use these days, both in utilizing this prime garden resource, and adding fresh garden refuse to it. The compost pile should be kept damp. Frequent turning will turn your garden waste into flower food much faster.
17. Water newly planted fruit trees, roses and shrubs regularly to help their root systems establish.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:27 am
SUMMER
June
1. Plant out curcubits (Pumpkins, Courgettes, Squash, Gherkins etc)
2. Plant out Sweetcorn
3. Start feeding Tomatoes with high potash feed once the first truss of flowers has set
4. Snap off Onion flowers if they appear
5. Pinch out the growing tips of Broadbeans once the pods start to form to discourage blackfly
6. Sow more Lettuce, Radish, Spring onion, Salad leaves and Coriander
7. Water Peas and Potatoes
8. Stake cutting flowers that will need support (such as Gladioli)
9. Tie in Runner Beans as they grow
10. Sow Fennel in situ
11. Fruit trees: For large fruit, thin Apples and Peaches to about 8 inches apart on the branches.
12. As the weather dries out, your container plants may need daily watering especially if the pots are exposed to the drying sunlight.
13. Dead head the developing seed pods from your Rhododendrons and Azaleas to improve next years bloom. Be careful not to damage next years buds which may be hidden just below the pod.
14. Mound the soil up around your potato plants. It does no harm to the plant if the soil covers the stem. Tubers near the surface which are exposed to sunlight will turn green and poisonous. As early potatoes begin to die back, reduce watering.
15. Change the water in your bird bath regularly. Standing water may become a breeding ground for mosquito larvae.
16. Continue to watch for insect or disease damage throughout the garden, and take the necessary steps to control the problem.
17. Spread nets over soft fruit bushes, such as currants, and over strawberries growing in rows or in containers. Once blackbirds and other birds find fruits to their taste they will return again and again and will quickly strip plants of unprotected fruit.
18. Many spring-flowering shrubs can be pruned as soon as their flowers have started to fade. Any shoots that have carried flowers can be cut back, shortening them to shape the shrub and control its size and vigour.
July
1. Gather the last of the peas and clear the ground
2. Sow late Carrots
3. Turn your attention to Autumn crops and sow things like Raddichio, Pak Choi, Mizuna and Endive
4. Keep cutting Sweet Peas to encourage more flowers
5. Harvest Shallots, Onions and Garlic as their leaves goes brown
6. Cut off any Potato leaves affected by blight and burn
7. Feed Tomatoes every other week with high potash liquid feed
8. Cut off Strawberry runners as they appear (unless you want to make new plants)
9. Plant a second bed of Sweetcorn in between your onions - once the onions are gone the Sweetcorn will have enough room to grow
10. Buy some ‘ready-grown’ lettuce plants to fill gaps where needed
11. Trees and shrubs will benefit from 1 inch of water each week during the hot summer months.
12. Evaluate your gardens and determine which plants should be moved and where you need to add additional plants.
13. Plant out successions of salad crops for continued harvesting throughout the summer. Sow seeds for cool-season crops directly into the garden by mid-July.
14. Empty areas of the garden, where the crops have finished, should be replanted with either a fall vegetable crop, or a cover crop of clover or vetch to help control weeds. Cover crops can be tilled into the soil later, to add humus and nitrates to the soil.
15. Keep the weeds pulled, before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years.
August
1. Cut off all the leaves below the first truss of Tomatoes to let the light ripen the fruits, continue to feed them and water them little and often
2. Pinch out growing shoots on pumpkins once they have set 3 or 4 fruits
3. Shake your Sweetcorn plants to help them pollinateÂ
4. Fold over Onion tops if they haven’t done so by themselves. This is to let more light in to the Onion.
5. Plant out Radicchio and Endive seedlings
6. Keep cutting off runners and diseased leaves from Strawberry plants
7. Prune Blackcurrants by cutting down this year’s fruiting wood
8. Cut Summer Raspberry canes down after fruiting and tie in Autumn Raspberry canes as they grow
9. Water Runner Beans, Celery and Pumpkins if the weather is dry
10. Sow green manures in vacant ground - try Rape or Mustard but remember to dig them in before they start to flower.
11. Harvest cucumbers and summer squash regularly in order for plants to continue producing.
12. Dig potatoes when the top of the plant dies. Do not leave potatoes in the sun as they will turn green and become toxic.
13. Summer blooming shrubs should be pruned for shape after they have finished flowering. Remove any dead or diseased branches.
14. Now is the time to start your fall and winter vegetables. Plant starters or seeds of green onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and winter cauliflower directly into the garden early this month.
15. Damp down the greenhouse floor every morning on hot days to increase humidity. The plants will love this and it also helps to discourage red spider mite.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:29 am
FALL
September
1. Start to clear away some of the crops that have gone over (ended) like Runner beans and Sweet Peas
2. Expose Apples and Pears to the sun to ripen
3. Sow some winter Lettuce
4. Prune trained Peach trees, taking out any branches that are not needed or growing out at right angles
5. Plant Strawberry plants to increase your stock. Aim to replace plants after their third year.
6. Earth up Celery and Leeks
7. Plant Japanese bunching onions
8. Plant Spring Cabbage
9. Lift main crop Potatoes - check they are ready by rubbing the skin, if it doesn’t easily come off they are ready.
10. Plant Tulips for next Spring
11. There is no way to tell when the first frost will hit, so be prepared to cover unharvested vegetables and flowers.
12. Prune old raspberry and blackberry canes - with the exception of everlasting berries. The canes that are producing fruit now will produce fruit again next summer.
13. September is a great month to sow grass seed
14. Order spring flowering bulbs to be planted in fall.
15. Collect seeds from perennials and annuals.
16. Add organic matter to garden soil.
17. As the weather cools, perennials which have overgrown their space or become crowded should be dug and divided, or moved to a new area of the garden. New or replacement perennials can also be planted this month.
18. Stop fertilizing your trees and flowering shrubs to allow this years growth to harden off before winter.
19. Once the tops of onions have withered, the bulbs should be lifted and dried in a warm, dry, sunny location for about 10 days. Then they should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place.
20. Some root crops, such as carrots, onions, and parsnips can be left in the ground in cold climates and dug up as needed. Apply enough mulch to keep the ground from freezing, and the crop will be kept fresh until it is needed.
21. After you have finished harvesting your summer vegetables, plant a cover crop of clovers, cow peas, soybeans, or vetches for the purpose of plowing under next spring. These nitrogen producing plants will provide good organic matter and food for your garden crops next year, as well as helping to control weeds over the winter.
22. When the golden silks of sweet corn have turned brown they should be ready to harvest. Peel back the husks to check that the cobs inside have swollen to their full size. Cook them within minutes of cutting them if you can, to ensure the sweetest flavour.
October
1. Bring in the last vegetables for storage before the frosts. These include: Onions, Apples, Potatoes and Carrots
2. Sow some more green manure in empty ground
3. Plant more Tulip bulbs for next Spring
4. Sow some winter Lettuce, such as Arctic King, in the greenhouse or coldframe
5. Leave some Runner Beans and French Beans on the plant to dry so that you can collect the seed
6. Plant Garlic and Spring Cabbage
7. Sow outdoor Broadbeans and Peas now for a crop in early Spring
8. Feed Brussels Sprouts and Winter Cabbage now to encourage them on in time for Christmas
9. Pot up some Parsley, Chives and Mint to use over the winter - dig up and discard annuals such as Coriander and Dill
10. Tidy up your Strawberry patch by removing any yellow leaves and the last runners
11. For vegetable gardens and new flower gardens, prepare the soil by cleaning debris and adding compost.
12. Garden debris can be added to compost pile as long as the debris is not diseased. Leaves can also be added to the compost pile, however, they make a great mulch for tender perennials.
13. Clean and oil your garden tools for winter storage. Place some sand and some oil in a large bucket, then slide your garden tools in and out of the sand. This will do an excellent job of cleaning them, as well as applying a light coat of oil to prevent rusting.
14. Mulching fall planted perennials will keep the soil warmer longer, allowing root growth to continue, however, the plants do need time to harden off for winter. Spread a thin layer of mulch after fall planting, and then add a thicker layer once the ground has frozen.
15. Dig and divide congested clumps of rhubarb.
16. Clean your gutters and downspouts to remove fallen leaves and other debris. Plugged gutters can cause serious damage to your home as well as your garden when the winter rain and snow arrives.
17. Mark your perennials with permanent tags, or create a map showing their locations so you'll know where and what they are when they die back at the end of the season. This will help you to avoid digging up something you intended to keep when you plant bulbs and plants this fall and next spring.
18. Disconnect seeping hoses and drip irrigation that is no longer needed, give them a clean and store them away for the winter.
November
1. Plant garlic
2. Plant new fruit trees and prune existing wall-trained fruit
3. Sow Broadbeans and Peas
4. Dig heavy soils and leave in clumps for the frost to break down
5. Pick off any yellow leaves from Brussels Sprouts
6. Harvest winter Cabbage, Leeks and Parsnips
7. Lift Chicory and Rhubarb for forcing. Rhubarb crowns should be at least three years old
8. Bring in the last of the dried beans such as Runner and French
9. Wash your pots and seeds trays thoroughly in soapy water. Also clean and oil your tools
10. Order some seed catalogues
11. Mulch flowers once the ground has frozen - this protects the plants from heaving of the soil, which is caused by the ground freezing, thawing, then re-freezing (heaving disrupts the plant's root system).
12. Prune your evergreens to shape.
13. Cut the tops off your asparagus plants, and add a winter dressing of aged manure to the bed.
14. Cover strawberries two inches deep with hay or straw.
15. Use small stakes or markers where you've planted bulbs or late starting spring plants in the perennial garden, to avoid disturbing them when you begin spring soil preparation.
16. A tip from The 1899 Old Farmer's Almanac "Useful Hints": "Keep all fruit stones (pits), cooked or uncooked. Dry them slowly in the oven, put in a large jar, and in winter throw a handful on the fire of an evening. They will crackle for a moment, send up a bright flame, and fill the room with a delicious aroma."
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:30 am
WINTER
December
1. Test the ph of your soil and apply lime if necessary. Don’t apply manure at the same time
2. Get on with your winter digging so long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged
3. Get hold of some well-rotted manure. Farms are ideal or buy it in bags if you have to
4. Earth up Spring Cabbages and winter brassicas
5. Pack straw around vulnerable perennials like Artichoke
6. Harvest Brussels Sprouts from the bottom up
7. Dig up some Leeks and heel them in for easier harvesting
8. Spread a layer of well-rotted manure around fruit bushes
9. Prune fruit trees but remember to burn all prunings as they might be infected with disease or aphid eggs
10. Dig your Runner Bean trench - leave it open to the elements for now
11. Those gardening catalogues should be arriving soon - keep them handy for the spring garden plans.
12. Make sure your outdoor faucets are covered to protect them from freezing.
13. Provide your house plants with extra humidity by grouping plants together, or by setting the pots on leakproof trays filled with moistened pebbles.
14. Clear away the remains of old crops to tidy up the garden and prepare the area for next year. Add the material you gather to your compost heap. Spread a layer of compost over the cleared soil and fork it into the surface.
15. Removing pumps and filters from ponds and water features helps prevent them being damaged by freezing water during the winter. Keep ponds covered with netting to prevent fallen leaves blowing in.
January
1. Dig some manure into your beds
2. Trim back Sage to give it a new lease of life
3. Winter prune Apples, Pears, Currants, Blackberries and Raspberries
4. Force Rhubarb
5. Finish raking up fallen leaves, especially those collected under hedges and shrubs. These offer protection to slugs and snails over winter months, so all leaves should be cleared away. Also clear gutters which can get clogged up and put all the leaves in a leaf bin to rot down.
6. Check bulbs, corms and tubers in store for signs of rot or deterioration. Remove diseased ones and sprinkle others with sulphur powder to prevent disease attack.9. Harvest the last of your Winter vegetables
7. Feed the birds and other small creatures which may not be able to find food due to snow on the ground or other causes. If there is snow on the ground and you don't have a feeder, a simple piece of plywood, a scrap of carpet or even cardboard will create a very good feeding area. It's easy to clean it off turn it over if it happens to get covered by a fresh snowfall.
8. In the event of snow, be sure to shake or brush off the white stuff from the branches of your evergreens and shrubs. The light fluffy snow poses no real threat, but if it should become wet and frozen, the weight dramatically increases. Branches are more brittle when the plants are dormant, and the weight of the snow may snap them off.
9. It's a good time to prune most of your deciduous trees and shrubs.
10. Fireplace ashes should be saved to use a fertilizer for your Iris and other alkaline soil plants.
11. If the ground is workable at all (not frozen and not too wet), now is an excellent time to turn the soil. Not only will this expose insect eggs to the effects of winter and hungry birds, the freezing will help to break apart heavy clods of dirt.
12. This is a good time to move shrubs that are growing in the wrong place or those that have outgrown their position. Aim to lift established plants with as large a rootball as possible. Prepare the soil in the new planting hole well, digging compost deeply into it. Firm the soil around the transplanted shrub, and provide a stake for support if required. Water in well and mulch with bark or compost. It may be necessary to prune out a few shoots from very large transplanted shrubs, as the damaged root system may not be able to support them.
13. Extra time this month might well be spent getting the garden tools ready for spring. Sharpen and oil tools such as shovels, shears, mowers and the like. Power tools such as weedeaters and power mowers may benefit from a good tune-up. Could the wheelbarrow use a fresh coat of paint?
14. It's not to early to begin to think of a strategy for new spring plantings. You might want to create a small map of your garden, and use it as a guide for ordering plants and seeds from the catalogs which will be arriving in the mail soon.
15. Stand planted patio pots up on feet to improve drainage and prevent waterlogging. Protect pots in very cold spells by moving them to a sheltered position.
16. Many perennials can be cut back hard now, removing old growth to make room for new shoots that grow up in spring.
17. Wash down the greenhouse roof to remove grime and let in more light. Clean out the gutters, and empty and clean water-butts.
18. Prepare a bean trench on the site where you're planning to grow your runner beans next summer. Take out a deep trench and fill with the rotted contents of your compost bin. Continue adding kitchen waste during the winter. Cover with soil in late spring, then sow or plant out your beans on top.
19. Place buckets or forcing jars over dormant clumps of rhubarb to encourage stems to form for a delicious early harvest.
20. Place your order for seed potatoes now. These will be delivered later in the winter, when they can be set to form shoots before planting out.
February
1. Chit your Potatoes (put them in a light, frost-free place and watch them sprout)
2. Plant some Garlic - in pots if you like
3. Force some Rhubarb - the crowns do better if they are at least 3 years old
4. Plant some fruit trees - make sure to dig a nice big hole and put plenty of organic matter at the bottom
5. Plant a few Onion sets - leave some for early Spring too
6. Prepare a seed bed - you’ll be using it a lot quite soon
7. The end of winter is a perfect time to draw up a garden plan. Think of where your vegetables were planted last year and try to rotate your crop - do not plant the same vegetables in the area it was planted last year.
8. Continue buying seeds - like we ever stopped?
9. In mild areas sow Summer Cabbage, Spinach, early carrots, Radish and Broadbeans - under cover of a cloche naturally.
10. Dig a bean trench and fill it with rotted compost or kitchen waste
11. Even if you don’t get time to start the winter digging, try and cover areas to be dug with a layer of compost or manure
12. Time to order seeds and perennials from catalogs and/or nurseries.
13. Apple and pear trees should be pruned now. Remove all water sprouts (those little "sucklings" that grow from the root and around the base of the trees). Prune all branches that are shaded out by larger, more mature branches.
14. Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month, once the buds have begun to swell, it will be to late
15. Prune your summer flowering shrubs now but be aware that spring bloomers have already produced their buds last fall, and pruning them now will result in the loss of flowers.
16. It's a good time to stroll around and trim back any branches that were damaged by the ravages of winter.
17. Most perennials may be divided and moved up until they begin to show new growth.
18. Rhubarb, horseradish, asparagus and artichokes can be planted this month
19. The vegetable garden should get its first tilling (if weather permits) to allow the weather to aid you in breaking up the dirt clods. Exposed weeds and seeds hopefully will perish
20. Continue feeding our feathered friends, you'll want them to stick around to help you in insect control when the weather warms again.
21. Did you check your garden tools yet? Don't wait 'til the spring rush to get your mower back in shape!
22. You can enjoy fresh veg even in the depths of winter. Leeks, Brussels sprouts and cabbages can be picked as you need them. Check sprouts regularly to catch them before they become too large. There are also root crops to lift, including Jerusalem artichokes and parsnips. Covering the soil with straw will help to ensure that it doesn’t freeze solid so you can carry on harvesting in the harshest of weather. Lift them carefully, with a garden fork, to avoid damaging them. Remember to save a few Jerusalem artichoke tubers to replant in spring.
23. Check apples and pears in store, removing any that show signs of rot or deterioration.
24. Spread mulch this month before plants get too large. Use a thick layer of compost, pulverised bark or similar material over borders and between trees, shrubs, roses and fruit
25. Piles of pots and stacks of dirty seed trays need to be washed out and stored away ready for use this spring. Add in some general household disinfectant, then rinse in clean water.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:31 am
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