Spring To Do List
TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN APRIL
- Late March and early April are the best times to prune deciduous trees.
- Cut back ornamental grasses and other winter standing perennials.
- Clean leaf litter in garden beds.
- Spread lime.
- Apply dormant sprays to appropriate trees shrubs, and vines.
- Sow seeds indoors.
- When soil is workable test for acidity and nutrients.
- At the end of the month it is usually warm enough to begin planting bare root trees and shrubs.
- Visit your local garden center for inspiration.
TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN MAY
- Continue planting bare root trees and shrubs.
- Divide late blooming perennials.
- Direct sow cold tolerant seeds such as California poppies, lettuces, and members of the pea family.
- Start indoors fast growing vegetable seedlings such as cucumbers (best if sowed in peat pots).
- Later in month begin to harden off seedlings.
- Work compost into garden beds.
- Sprinkle slow release fertilizers to perennials, trees and shrubs.
- Plant cold tolerant annuals such as pansies, osteospermum and stock.
- Plant balled and burlaped trees and shrubs and container plants with established root systems.
- Feed nesting birds.
TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN JUNE
- Sow wildflowers and all other seeds outdoors.
- Purchase and plant annuals for containers and beds.
- Continue to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Water weekly deeply.
- Weed asparagus and strawberry beds.
- Set out remaining heat loving vegetable transplants such as tomatoes and peppers.
- Fertilize lawns.
- Divide and or transplant spring blooming perennials.
- Label areas for planting more bulbs in the fall.
- Feed roses.
- Apply fungus control to prone plants such as fruit trees, roses, grapes, phlox and monarda (best to apply BEFORE fungus appears).
- Apply slug control, particularly after rainy spells.