Seasonal Garden Tasks for Zone 6

January:

  • Provide food and water for the birds.
  • Browse seed catalogs and start planning this years garden.
  • Prune dormant trees and vines.
  • Be careful with salting walkways and driveways.
  • Start cool season plants in greenhouse or warm southern window.


February:

  • Provide food and water for the birds.
  • Browse seed catalogs and start planning this years garden.
  • Order from catalogs or pickup seeds local garden shop.
  • Start more cool season plants in greenhouse or warm southern window.
  • Prune dormant trees and vines.
  • Cut back grasses before new growth starts.


March:

  • Plant cool season vegetables.
  • Start warm season vegetable seeds for later transplanting (tomatoes and peppers).
  • Plan for flower bed to provide summer color.
  • Start summer flower seeds in flats.
  • Dig and divide perennial flowers.
  • Plant blueberries, strawberries and grapes.
  • Mulch strawberries with pine straw as soon as they start blooming.
  • Prune brambles to shoulder height and mulch.


April:

  • This is the big month for planting vegetables, however if planted too early, frost will kill your plants unless you are prepared to protect them on those cold nights.
  • Stake tomatoes or provide cages to surround them.
  • Keep weeds under control by hoeing or cultivating.
  • Set out transplants of herbs.
  • Set out bedding plants.
  • Trim forsythias after they have bloomed to keep the bushes shapely.
  • Provide nutrients to fruit trees at the fruit setting time.


May:

  • Set out tender plants once all danger of frost is past.
  • Keep seedbeds damp with shallow, frequent watering.
  • Pinch the growing points from the stems tips of mum plants when they get 3-4 inches.
  • Plant annuals among waning spring bulbs.
  • Mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds.
  • Control weeds while they are small.


June:

  • Water more deeply and less often as plants become established.
  • Check plants sales, for bargains and close outs.
  • Pick your fruits and vegetables as they ripen.
  • Keep weeds pulled and mulch in place.
  • Watch for early disease problems and take care of the before they get worse.


July:

  • Water early in the day so that the leaves will be dry by evening.
  • Spend a few minutes every morning deadheading~pinching off spent flowers of plants.
  • Keep your eyes open for insects, and disease problems Early detection is important.
  • Keep mulching to help retain moisture and reduce weeds.
  • Divide Iris clumps for more plants.
  • Cut, dry and store everlasting flowers for winter displays.


August:

  • Stop feeding roses this month so that there won't be tender, new growth for winter kill.
  • Keep picking or shearing faded flowers off annuals so they won't go to seed and stop blooming.
  • Gather and save seeds of other annuals that you might want to use again. Don't bother saving seed from hybrids, they won't come true to type.
  • Put seeds in envelopes and label them by name, date, and color. Store in a cool, dry place - such as airtight jars in the refrigerator.


September:

  • Take cutting of annuals and use as house plants.
  • Plant hyacinth and daffodil bulbs in early to mid autumn.
  • Gather leaves for composting. Mix green and dry materials and alternate with thin layers of soil or compost for more rapid decomposition.
  • Keep deadheading flowers so plants won't look messy or waste energy making seeds.
  • Dig, dry and store tender bulbs such as Gladiolus, Dahlias, and tuberous Begonias.


October:

  • Cover sensitive plants with blankets, sheets or protective cloths. Remove next morning.
  • Keep gathering leaves. You can never have enough compost, mulch or organic matter in the soil.
  • Plant late-season purchasers of perennials or move and rearrange old ones to improve your planting plan. Group plants according to water needs as well as sun requirements
  • Harvest late season crops and store for winter consumtation.


November:

  • Last chance to plant spring flowering bulbs.
  • Thin lettuce and spinach.
  • Mulch crops you want to "hold" in the ground with straw.
  • Harvest frost sweetened Brussels sprouts, carrots. parsnips, cabbage and kale.
  • Clean up your perennials.
  • Plant and move dormant trees.
  • Stake newly planted trees for support.
  • Drain and clean pond gardens.
  • Rake leaves and mow the lawn for the last time this year.
  • Protect young trees with wire netting.


December:

  • Provide food and water for the birds.
  • Send for seed catalogs.
  • Take hardwood cutting of trees and shrubs.
  • Mulch perennials shrub and fruit bearing garden plants.
  • Clean up dead remains of last years garden.
  • Start a compost pile with leaves and garden remains.
  • Clean and oil garden tools.