Monthly Garden Checklists

Vegetables:

• Plant cool season vegetables like onions, potatoes, collards, broccoli, sugar peas, beets, carrots and turnips.
• Indoor Seed Starting: eggplant, peppers
• Outdoor Seed Starting: peas, beets, carrots, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, scallions, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, radishes
• Outdoor Transplants: seed potatoes, asparagus crowns, strawberry crowns, broccoli, brussels, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi

Lawn:

• Apply pre-emergence herbicides for crabgrass, goosegrass and other summer annual weeds. Always follow the instructions on herbicide containers exactly.

Trees:

• Prune spring and summer flowering trees and shrubs before bud swell.
• Plant bare-root fruit and nut trees, grapes and berries.
• Fertilize peach and plum trees.
• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Prune roses leaving several healthy canes.
• Plant roses bare-root fruit and nut trees, grapes and berries.
• Divide late summer and fall blooming plants like cannas, fall asters, mums and perennial salvias.

General Gardening:

• Plant gladiolas, ground covers, hollyhocks and nasturtiums.

Vegetables:

• March is a good time to sow seeds for vegetables. Remember that these seeds will not germinate until the soil reaches a certain temperature, so be patient.
• Be sure your soil is prepared. Mix in compost or well-rotted manure.
• It is also time to plant potatoes, asparagus and horseradish.
• Get those weeds out of the gardens before they go to seed.
• You can plant tomato plants but watch the weather closely. If tomato plants are tall enough, strip off the lower leaves, leaving at least 4 leaves. Plant the seedling in soil up to 4” of the lowest leaf. They will grow a stronger root system. FYI~tomato plants will not set fruit below 58°F or above 85°F.
• Indoor Seed Starting: eggplant, peppers, zinnias, cosmos, marigolds
• Outdoor Seed Starting: beets, carrots, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, scallions, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, radish, Late March: beans (bush and pole), snap peas, cantaloup, watermelon, corn, and cucumbers
• Outdoor Transplants: late march transplant out tomatoes (watch carefully for a late frost or freeze and cover if necessary), cucumbers and squash

Lawn:

• Conduct an irrigation audit before turning on irrigation during the spring and summer using the AgriLife water-wise checklist found below.
• Apply pre-emergence herbicides for crabgrass, goosegrass and other summer annual weeds. Always follow the instructions on herbicide containers exactly.
• St. Augustinegrass – Make first fertilizer application when the lawn is actively growing and has been mowed at least two times.

Trees:

• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Get new perennials in the ground so they can grow strong roots before the summer heat.

General Gardening:

• Clean out all birdhouses
• Turn the compost
• With the March rains, watch for areas of poor drainage and fix the problem
• Check for heaving of plants due to freezing and thawing. If this has occurred, gently push the plant back into the soil and lightly tamp it in with your foot.
• This is a good time to check mulch to be sure it is sufficient. Remember, Hood County Brush Yard will provide mulch for free on Wednesdays from 8 a.m.-Noon.

Vegetables:

• Move seedlings outside and harden them off before planting.
• Thin out lettuce, beets, carrots and radishes.
• Watch for insect pests, especially aphids and take appropriate steps to get rid of them.
• Plant caladium and gladiola.
• And always be on the alert for freezing weather.
• Indoor Seed Starting:
• Outdoor Seed Starting: radish, beans (bush and pole), black-eyed peas, cantaloup, watermelon, corn, okra and cucumbers
• Outdoor Transplants: eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, zucchini, pumpkin, okra, sweet potato slips

Lawn:

• St. Augustinegrass & Bermudagrass – Make first fertilizer application when the lawn is actively growing and has been mowed at least two times.

Trees:

• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Get new perennials in the ground so they can grow strong roots before the summer heat.
• Prune early spring bloomers like forsythia, quince and wisteria after they have bloomed.

General Gardening:

• Sharpen mowers and hand tools.
• To help keep shovels, spades & digging forks sharp and rust free, store them plunged into a 5 gallon bucket of sand mixed with a quart of motor oil.
• Move indoor plants outside. Put them in shade for a few days to harden them off. Give them a thorough washing and water well.
• Pull up those pecan, walnut and elm seedlings before they have a chance to grow a HUGE taproot that you have to dig out.
• Clean up all garden debris and mulch well.
• Direct sow annual seeds such as celosia, marigold, cosmos, zinnia, gomphrena, alyssum, and portulaca.
• Plant hanging baskets.
• Weed, weed, weed!!
• Rejuvenate compost bins to get them cooking again.

Vegetables:

• Check for caterpillars and loopers on all plants. BT (bacillus thuringiensis) is great for caterpillar control. But be mindful that some caterpillars become beautiful butterflies.
• Cool season vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce and spinach will begin flowering (known as bolting). Harvest or collect seed and replace with okra, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins or watermelons.
• Indoor Seed Starting: tomatoes (for fall harvest), eggplant, peppers, celosia, sunflowers, zinnias
• Outdoor Seed Starting: Black eyed peas, okra
• Outdoor Transplants: eggplant, okra, sweet potato slips (first half of the month)

Lawn:

• Plant turf grass from seed, plugs, sod or sprigs.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, do not apply to drought-stressed grass.

Trees:

• Remove sucker growth from fruit trees.
• Thin peaches 4”-6” apart.
• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Deadhead all plants unless you are collecting seed.

General Gardening:

• Wear your sunscreen and wide brimmed hat and drink plenty of water when outside.
• Move Daffodils and Narcissus after the foliage dies back. Apply a bulb fertilizer and water in well before placing bulbs in the beds.
• Do not trim Iris foliage. Rhizomes need to store energy for next year’s blooms. It’s okay to trim off the flower stalks but leave the foliage alone.
• Turn and water the compost bins.
• If it doesn’t rain, apply one inch of water to all beds each week

Vegetables:

• Look for insects on all plants.
• Indoor Seed Starting: celosia, amaranth
• Outdoor Seed Starting: eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, okra, zinnia, cosmos, gomphrena
• Outdoor Transplants: eggplant, peppers, okra

Lawn:

• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, do not apply to drought-stressed grass.

Trees:

• Net fruit trees to protect from the birds.
• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Take stem cuttings from woody perennials & ornamentals to produce more plants.
• If mums are tall & leggy cut back half & pinch off blooms.
• Deadhead lavender, coreopsis & other summer bloomers to encourage second bloom.
• Pinch back fall bloomers like Mexican mint marigold, Mexican bush sage & asters.

General Gardening:

• Disinfect pruners & loppers with a 1/10 bleach & water solution to discourage spread of disease. Rinse well and oil blades.
• Sharpen hoes & shovels.
• Weed, weed & weed some more.
• Clean & refill hummingbird feeders every 4 days. Use 1-cup sugar to 4 cups water. DO NOT use food coloring.
• Water & turn compost bins.
• Clean & refill birdbaths. Try putting 5 pennies in each birdbath to help out with the scum.
• Get rid of standing water to discourage mosquitoes. If you have open water containers add mosquito dunks to keep mosquitoes down.
• Replenish mulch as needed.
• Plant fall-blooming bulbs.
• Continue to plant annuals & annual seeds in vacant spots.
• Fertilize beds & roses.

Vegetables:

• Empty areas of the vegetable garden that have finished producing & sow seeds for cool season crops such as collards & broccoli or a cover crop of clover to add nitrogen to the soil.
• Indoor Seed Starting: marigolds, zinnias, cosmos
• Outdoor Seed Starting: black-eyed peas, southern peas, winter squash, okra, pumpkin
• Outdoor Transplants: tomatoes for fall harvest, zinnias, celosia, gomphrena, sunflowers, zinnias

Lawn:

• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, do not apply to drought-stressed grass.

Trees:

• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

General Gardening:

• Plant fall pansy seed.
• Water containers daily if it doesn’t rain.
• Water lawns & gardens early in the morning.
• Continue to deadhead & pinch back mums.
• Root verbenas, ivy, climbing roses, vinca, pachysandra etc. by layering into the warm soil. Bury a section of the plant that has “eyes” in the soil holding down with “U” shaped wire or rocks.
• Sow hollyhocks, foxgloves & sweetwilliam.
• Make geranium cuttings for indoor winter bloom.
• Water & turn the compost bins.
• Clean up any standing water to deter mosquitoes.
• Cut back spent canna blooms to the next flower head.
• Plant fall-blooming bulbs such as spider lilies & crocus.

Vegetables:

• Indoor Seed Starting: broccoli, Brussels, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, mustard greens, spinach
• Outdoor Seed Starting: okra, corn, pumpkin, cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, pinto beans, bush beans, Chinese cabbage, swiss chard
• Outdoor Transplants: marigolds, celosia

Lawn:

• Water lawns thoroughly and deeply and check for grubs. Treat if more than 5-7 grubs are found per square foot.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, do not apply to drought stressed grass.

Trees:

• Do NOT prune Oak trees, this is to prevent Oak Wilt.

Perennials:

• Plant agastaches, sedums, salvias, fall asters and plumbago for fall color
• Divide, disinfect and replant iris. To disinfect, dip rhizomes in a 10-1 water and bleach solution.

General Gardening:

• Water and turn compost bins
• Collect wildflower seeds.
• Mulch beds where the mulch has composted. Pull weeds before they go to seed.
• Assess your gardens for bare spots and lack of texture.
• Make garden plans to for future plantings to have year round color.
• Order wildflower seeds and spring-blooming bulbs. Pay close attention to our time zone and use only reputable companies.

Vegetables:

• Plant a row of lettuce, spinach and greens every two weeks from now until mid October to ensure a continuing harvest.
• Indoor Seed Starting: chard, mustard greens, collard greens, lettuce, kale, spinach
• Outdoor Seed Starting: radish, turnips, collard greens, lettuce, kale, spinach, peas, beets, carrots, parsnips, leeks, onions
• Outdoor Transplants: broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, collards, cauliflower, chard

Lawn:

• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, do not apply to drought stressed grass.
• Apply pre-emergence herbicides for annual bluegrass, chickweed, hen bit, and other winter annual weeds. Always follow the instructions on herbicide containers exactly.

Trees:

• If anticipating moving a small tree, root prune it now to reduce transplant shock when moved later in the year.
• Clean up around all fruit trees, remove any dried fruit and discard to lessen the threat of fungal problems in the spring.
• Prune out dead and diseased wood from shrubs and trees. Leave the heavy pruning until mid-winter.

Perennials:

• Divide iris, disinfect rhizomes and transplant or give away.
• Divide spring flowering perennials like gaillardia, rudbeckia, canna, daylilies, ajuga, violets and liriope.
• Plant Mexican mint marigold, fall asters, ornamental grasses Mexican bush salvia and sedums.
• Fertilize perennials and deciduous trees one more time. Then stop fertilizing to promote root growth rather than tender stem growth.
• Lightly prune and fertilize roses.

General Gardening:

• Deadhead roses and crape myrtles and remove unproductive growth.
• Sever layered rootings, taken in July, from the mother plants and transplant directly into the soil.
• Sow seeds of snapdragon, pansy, astilbe, calendula, dianthus, viola, candytuft, statice, clarksia, Shasta daisy, columbine, statice, poppy, penstemon, hollyhock, lunarias, coreopsis, coral bells, campanula and sweet william.
• Plant ornamental cabbage and kale.
• Mulch all new plantings.
• Keep all plants watered well, especially those with green fruit or berries.
• Keep hummingbird feeders cleaned and full of nectar.
• Water and turn the compost piles.
• Collect seed from annuals that have done well and store in cool, dry, dark place. Prescription bottles are great for storing seed!
• Plant chrysanthemums. Be sure the plants have a good root system to support any blooms that are present.
• Prepare wildflower beds and remember that these have a hard time competing with grasses so prepare the beds with that in mind.

Vegetables:

• Plant a cover crop of legumes in unused beds or till in compost. Till legumes under in early spring for a boost of nitrogen.
• Indoor Seed Starting: chard, mustard greens, collard greens, lettuce, kale, spinach, leeks, onions
• Outdoor Seed Starting: radish, turnips, collard greens, lettuce, kale, spinach, peas, beets, carrots, parsnips, leeks, onions, cucumber
• Outdoor Transplants: garlic, broccoli, Brussels, cabbage, bok choy, collards, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, lettuce

Lawn:

• Overseed lawns with rye grass.
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 4-8 weeks, if needed.
• Apply pre-emergence herbicides for annual bluegrass, chickweed, hen bit, and other winter annual weeds. Always follow the instructions on herbicide containers exactly.

Trees:

• Root prune any trees or shrubs you plan to move in the spring.
• Prune Oaks if needed.
• Prune damaged or diseased branches from shrubs and trees in late fall or early winter and destroy Do not add to compost.
• Plant trees and shrubs.

Perennials:

• Divide and transplant iris, day lily, phlox and violet.
• Cut back perennial herbs to encourage well-branched growth next year.
• Cut Tropical Milkweed all the way to the ground – by Halloween.

General Gardening:

• Start planting bulbs in containers for holiday color. Use amaryllis, paperwhites, and hyacinths.
• Move non-cold hardy plants inside at the end of the month. Be sure to check for insects and disease. Give all a good blast from the water hose.
• Plant pansies, sweet william, poppies, calendulas, snapdragons, violas, dianthus, pinks, flowering kale and cabbage.
• Sow wildflower seeds for spring color. Make sure seeds are in contact with the soil.
• Test the soil in the vegetable garden and add what is suggested.
• Keep bird feeders clean and filled.
• Plant grapevines.
• Turn and water compost piles.
• Mulch all beds.
• Clean up the gardens.
• Pull spent annuals.
• Start raking leaves and put on the compost pile.

Vegetables:

• Cover winter squash. A slight frost will improve the flavor by converting starch to sugar.
• Indoor Seed Starting:
• Outdoor Seed Starting:
• Outdoor Transplants: kale, broccoli, brussels, cabbage, bok choy, collards, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, lettuce

Lawn:

• Turn off irrigation during winter when temperatures are cool and the lawn is not actively growing.

Trees:

• Plant dormant trees.

Perennials:

General Gardening:

• Pull dead annuals and, if not diseased, add to the compost pile.
• Cut (do not pull) flower heads and dry foliage from perennials.
• Drain hoses, turn off irrigation systems and cover faucets if a freeze is predicted.
• Take cuttings of herbs for new plants.
• Cut mums back to 2-3” after blooms fade.
• Plant pansies, ornamental kale/cabbage and snapdragons.
• Sow rows of poppies, bachelor’s button, larkspur and sweet pea for spring color.
• Plant spring bulbs and spring and summer blooming perennials like daisies, daylilies and iris.
• Water and turn compost piles. Add those leaves!
• Put out bird feeders and keep filled.
• Mulch strawberry plants 2-4” to protect from freeze.
• Order seeds for planting next spring.

Vegetables:

• If you haven’t done so yet, clean out the vegetable gardens and work in organic matter into the soil.
• Indoor Seed Starting: kale, mustard greens, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard
• Outdoor Seed Starting: daffodils, hyacinths, tulips
• Outdoor Transplants: kale, broccoli, brussels, cabbage, bok choy, collards, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, lettuce

Lawn:

Trees:

• Remove wind-broken, dead, freeze damaged, diseased or insect injured wood and branches from trees and shrubs. Avoid severely pruning but never leave stubs. These do not heal properly and invite disease and insect infestations.
• Wait to prune fruit trees.
• Root prune trees for transplanting in January.

Perennials:

• Plant bare-root roses found in garden centers.
• Prune evergreens to shape. Cut foliage and canes from existing plants like lantana.

General Gardening:

• Plant spring blooming perennials such as foxglove, columbine, salvia, and gaillardia.
• Plant pansy, ornamental cabbage and kale, dianthus and snapdragons.
• Spray dormant trees, shrubs, raspberries and other deciduous plants with dormant spray to control over-wintering insects and diseases.
• Clean and sharpen lawn mowers and drain the fuel.
• Plant hardy trees and shrubs.
• Prepare new beds by weeding, tilling and adding organic materials. Use those leaves that are so abundant this time of year.
• Water lawns and trees if it doesn’t rain. The winds dry out the plants and the ground. Mow leaves or gather for the compost piles. A thick layer of leaves on the lawn just invites disease problems.
• Peek at all those gardening catalogs and order seed for planting later.
• Birds will need more attention now until spring. Keep feeders clean and filled and be sure to provide water and grit beds. When it freezes break the ice in the birdbaths. Titmouse, Goldfinch, Chickadees, sparrows and many other birds will show at your feeders and birdbaths. Be sure to provide an assortment of seeds like thistle, millet, safflower and sunflower. Build a “Gorp Log” filled with a peanut mixture. For details contact the Hood County Extension Office at 817 579-3280 for information
• Test soil and make the recommended amendments. Soil test bags and instructions are available at the Hood County Extension Office at 817-579-3280.
• Walk around your gardens. Observe frosts patterns–where frost kills, where it doesn’t and write down the information.
• If a freeze is predicted, water all plants 24-48 hours before. Moist soil absorbs and radiates heat better than dry soil. Be very careful not to get foliage wet.