Generalized Landscape Maintenance

Checklist

January

If precipitation has been low (1” of snow = approximately 1/10” of water), water lawns, trees, and shrubs, especially broadleaf and narrowleaf evergreens. Check moisture levels in containers.

Check that gardening tools and equipment are in good repair—sharpen, paint, and repair mowers, edgers, weed whips, etc.

Inspect your watering system and replace worn or broken parts.

Insects wintering on deciduous trees or shrubs may be controlled with dormant oil sprays applied when the temperature is above 40oF in late fall and winter. Do not use “dormant” oils on evergreens.

February

Perform a soil test for future fertilizer applications.

Finish pruning shade trees, summer flowering shrubs, and hedges. Spring blooming shrubs such as forsythia may be pruned immediately after flowering.

Most bare-rooted trees and shrubs should be planted in February or early-March.

Begin the vegetable garden with cool-season crops such as potatoes, onion, and radishes.

March

 Prepare lawn mower; clean, oil and install clean filters.

 Cultivate annual flower beds to destroy winter weeds.

 Apply organic mulch to control weeds in beds. Landscape fabric barrier can reduce the amount of mulch, but take care to ensure proper water penetration to plants’ roots.

 Remove excessive thatch from warm season lawns. Dethatching, if necessary, should precede crabgrass control treatment.

 March is the second best time of the year to seed cool-season turf grass.

 Cool-season lawns such as bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass may be fertilized now with the first application of the season. Usually, four applications of fertilizer are required per year, in March, May, October, and November.

 Begin mowing cool season grasses at 1 ½ to 3 ½ inches high.

Control of galls (swellings) on stems and foliage of trees should begin now.

 Dormant oil can still be applied to control mites, galls, aphids, etc.

 Prune roses just before growth starts.

 Divide and replant summer and fall blooming perennials.

 Mow or cut back old ornamental grass foliage.

April

Perform annual fertilization of ornamental, fruit, and nut trees and shrubs.

Control of powdery mildew disease can be done with early detection and regular treatment.

Most bedding plants, summer flowering bulbs, and annual flower seeds can be planted after danger of frost.

Let spring flowering bulb (daffodil, tulip, etc.) foliage remain as long as possible before removing it.

Fungicides for leaf spot diseases can be applied.

 Warm-season grass lawns can be established beginning in late-April from sprigs, plugs, or sod.

 Mowing of warm-season lawns can begin now. Cutting height for Bermuda and Zoysia grasses should be 1 to 1 ½ inches high. Mow buffalo grass at 3 inches high.

 Damage from Spring Dead Spot Disease (SDS) becomes visible in Bermuda grass. Perform practices that promote grass recovery. Do not spray fungicides at this time for SDS control.

 Be alert for both insect pests and predators. Some pests can be hand picked without using a pesticide; or use a natural pesticide. Do not spray if helpful predators such as lady beetles are present. Spray only when there are too few predators to be effective.

 Remove any winter-damaged branches or plants that have not begun to grow by late-April.

 If you have a water garden clean out and prepare it for season. Divide and repot water garden plants.

 Begin feeding fish when water temperatures are over 50o F.

May

 Insect Alert:

* Bagworms on juniper and arborvitae. (Late-May)

* Elm leaf beetles and larvae on elms and zelkova. (Late- May)

* Mimosa webworms on mimosa and honey locust.

* Lace bugs on sycamore, pyrancantha, and azalea.

 Pine needle disease treatments are needed in mid-May.

 Cool-season lawns can be fertilized again. If you did not fertilize cool-season grasses in March and April, do so now.

 Warm-season lawns may be fertilized again in May.

 Seeding of warm-season grasses such as Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, zoysia grass, and centipede grass is best performed in mid-May through the end of June. Soil temperatures are warm enough for germination and an adequate growing season is present to promote winter hardiness.

  Make certain warm-season grasses have completed green-up.

Vegetative establishment of warm-season grasses can continue.

 Annual bedding plants can be set out for summer color.

 Soak new transplants and newly planted trees unless rainfall is abundant.

June

 Vigorous, unwanted limbs should be removed or shortened on new trees. Watch for forks in the main trunk and remove the least desirable leader as soon as it is noticed. Remain alert for insect damage. Add spider mites to the list. Foliage of most plants becomes pale and speckled; juniper foliage turns a pale yellowish color. Shake a branch over white paper and watch for tiny specks that crawl. Watch for 1st generation fall webworm.

 Pine needle disease treatments are needed again in mid-June.

 Cultivate and mulch. Mulching will reduce about 70 percent of the summer yard maintenance.

 Fertilize warm season grasses as per April instructions.

 Dollar spot disease of lawns can first become visible in mid-May. Make certain fertilizer applications have been adequate before applying a fungicide.

Seeding of warm-season grasses should be completed by the end of June to reduce winter kill losses.

 Brown patch disease of cool-season grasses can be a problem.

 Meet water requirements of turf.

Post-emergent control of crabgrass and summer annual grasses is best performed on young crabgrass plants.

Continue to water deeply as needed. Apply at least one inch of water each time. Softwood cuttings from new growth of many shrubs will root if propagated in a moist shady spot.

July

 Divide and replant crowded hybrid iris (bearded iris) after flowering until August.

 Expect some leaf fall, a normal reaction to drought. Water young plantings well.

 Mowing heights for cool-season turf grasses should be 3” during hot, dry summer months. Gradually raise mowing height of Bermuda grass lawns from 1 ½ to 2 inches. •

Vegetative establishment of warm-season grasses should be completed by the end of July to ensure the least risk of winter kill.

Watch for brown patch disease in cool-season grasses.

Meet water requirements of turf.

Fertilization of warm-season grasses can continue if water is present for growth.

The hotter and drier it gets, the larger the spider mite populations become! Spraying plant foliage will provide partial relief of this pest.

August

Water all plantings thoroughly unless rainfall has been adequate.

The fall vegetable garden is planted now.

 Divide and replant spring blooming perennials.

 Irrigated warm-season lawns may be fertilized again.

 Hedges and shrubs can be pruned, if necessary, about mid-August.

Young trees and shrubs may be fertilized again.

 Discontinue dead-heading roses by mid-August to help initiate winter hardiness.

 Brown patch disease of cool-season grasses can be a problem.

Meet water requirements of turf.

Watch for a second generation of fall webworm in late August/early-September.

September

Last nitrogen fertilizer application of the year on warm-season grasses should be applied no later than mid-September.

Brown patch disease of tall fescue can still be a problem.

Meet water requirements of turf.

If pre-emergent control of winter-annual weeds is desired in lawns, the application should be completed by the 2nd week of September. Note: Do not treat areas that will be seeded in the fall.

Fall is the best time to plant cool-season turf grass

Plan to seed bluegrass, fescue, or ryegrass as needed in shady areas in late-September through mid-October. Fall is the best time to establish cool-season lawns.

Choose spring flowering bulbs as soon as available.

October

 Plant spring flowering bulbs now in well-drained soils with good sunlight. Planting depth is two times bulb diameter.

Plant pansies, kale, and cabbage.

Dig and store tender bulbs and tubers in a cool dry place.

Container-grown shade trees and pines are most success­fully planted in the fall. Broadleaf evergreens or bare-root plants are best planted in the spring.

In mid-month, fertilize cool season lawns.

Seeding of cool-season grasses for perennial lawns can continue through mid-October. Over-seeding of warm-season lawns with cool-season grasses for winter should be performed late this month. Warm-season lawns are healthiest if winter over-seeding is not performed!

 Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis, even if warm-season grasses have quit growing.

 Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with mulching mower.

 Mow and edge neatly before killing frost.

 Clean up marginal water garden plants after first frost kills the tops.

 Place a net over the water garden to prevent leaves from falling in the water.

 Remove diseased plant material from the landscape to reduce disease problems next year.

November

Continue to plant spring flowering bulbs, pansies, kale, and cabbage.

 In the first week, fertilize cool season grasses again.

Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis.

Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with a mulching mower.

Now is a good time for a soil test to correct nutrient deficiencies before winter.

Dispose of pine cones of pines infested with Diplodia fungus (Diplodia pinea) and Dothistroma fungus (Dothistroma septospora). Prune out dead tips.

Compost annual debris and leaves but do not compost diseased plant parts.

November 15 to March 15 is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs.

Prepare the landscape for winter.

Scale insects can be controlled with dormant oil sprays applied when the temperature is above 40oF in late fall and winter.

Drain gasoline from power equipment or use fuel stabilizer before winter storage. Drain and store water hoses and wrap hydrants. Clean up all tools.

Coat metal surfaces with a thin film of oil to prevent rust.

Remove diseased plant material from the landscape to reduce disease problems next year.

December

Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis, if necessary.

 Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with a mulching mower.

If soil is dry, irrigate all plantings at least 24 hours before hard-freezing weather.

Review the year’s schedule and make plans for next year’s improvements.