Use the calendars below to schedule your garden activities for 2008. Try to keep to this schedule as much as you can. For sure, don't leave a huge amount of things to do all at once--you won't enjoy gardening if it becomes to big a chore. If you live north of Dallas, you may move all these activities forward one week. If you live south of Georgetown, you can move them all up a week sooner.
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January
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1 Happy New Year! Hope you can keep those gardening resolutions |
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3 Look at seed catalogs and place orders now. You must have time to grow seeds to transplant size. |
4 Count forward to your last frost date to see how soon to start seeds. Read seed packet to know when to plant. |
5 When growing seeds indoors, your light source needs to be only 3 or 4 inches above the little sprouts for proper lighting. |
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7 You can plant trees and shrubs now during their dormant season. |
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9 Prepare asparagus beds now by digging deeply and adding lots of compost. |
10 On dry days you can add compost to your beds to improve them. Cover with mulch. |
11 Lightly cultivate all beds;add fertilizer and cover with mulch, on dry days. |
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15 Prune trees and shrubs now, but don't prune anything that blooms in the spring. |
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18 Remember that you need to water if it doesn't rain enough, even in the winter. |
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21 Houseplants can brighten winter days. Water only when the soil is no longer moist. |
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23 Start a garden journal to keep track of what you are going to do this year. |
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29 It's a good time to start exercising your muscles so you won't get sore when you start gardening next month. |
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February
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1 Gardening will soon be in full swing again. Are you ready? |
2 You can move dormant plants to more desirable locations now. |
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4 Plant fruit trees and berry bushes. It is still not too late to plant roses in containers. |
5 Never, never dig in wet soil! You will ruin it. |
6 Prune peaches and plums by up to 50 percent, grapes to 80 percent. |
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14 On Valentine's Day, plant potatoes. |
15 Trim roses back by a third now. |
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18 Any frost killed foliage needs to be trimmed away from perennials |
19 Plant lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, greens, and peas. |
20 Plant cool season flowers such as pansies, petunias, snapdragons, alyssum, stock, kale, and dianthus. |
21 Any day you have nice weather is a great time to dig new beds or add compost to old ones. |
22 Start a compost pile if you don't already have one. |
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25 Start watching for early signs of insects and get a jump on protecting your plants. |
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March
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1 Containerized perennials can still be planted all month. |
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3 Continue to plant cool season flowers and vegetables. |
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5 Fertilize beds with organic fertilizer with a higher nitrogen percentage than the other two nutrients. |
6 Spot treat weeds in the lawn. |
7 You can spray Bt to control caterpillars, but remember some may be butterflies. |
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9 Daylight Savings Time Begins |
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11 Plant tomato plants if weather permits. Set cages over new transplants at the time of planting. |
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13 Release trichogramma wasps. |
14 Hot pepper flakes may discourage slugs and snails if sprinkled around plants. |
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17 Saint Patrick's Day |
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19 Trim Liriope, large herbs, cyperus, and any other plants that wintered over. |
20 Spring Begins!! |
21 Use your mulching lawn mower to mulch leaves right into your lawn. It is good for it and you won't have to rake. |
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23 Easter |
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25 Lady bug larva are orange and black and look like tiny alligators. |
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27 Use hot pepper in your bird feeders to discourage squirrels. |
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29 Fertilize your lawn when you have mown it twice. |
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April
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1 This is the busiest time of the gardening year. Enjoy the wonderful weather. |
2 Fertilize this month with foliar spray according to package instructions |
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4 Deadhead flowers as they finish blooming to encourage more flowers. |
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7 Never cut more than a 3rd of your grass blades' height when mowing. |
8 If you buy plants that are not in bloom, they will perform longer and better. |
9 Don't use diseased plant material in yoru compost pile. |
10 You should be fully into planting all flowers and vegetables now. |
11 Never dig in wet soil! |
12 Watch for beneficial insects and don't spray poisons on them. |
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14 Keep up with weeds by picking them daily and they will never be a big problem. |
15 As the weather gets warmer, be sure to cover all beds with mulch. |
16 Pick snails daily and drop in a bucket of soapy water. |
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18 You can plant spring vegetable crops such as lettuces and radishes every other week for an extended harvest. |
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21 If it doesn't rain enough you must water, but don't keep the soil soggy. |
22 Keep lettuces picked by snipping with scissors. They will grow more so you can have more later. |
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24 Take care of your tools. Keep blades sharp and use a little oil to prevent rust. |
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28 Wear suntan lotion to prevent skin damage. |
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30 Fertilize tomato plants every three weeks with organic fertilizer at the base of the plants. |
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May
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1 Plant grass, periwinkles, and peppers, if you didn't plant them in April. |
2 Start moving houseplants outdoors gradually to get them used to being outside. |
3 Water deeply once a week, rather than a little each day. It's better for your plants. |
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5 Be sure to apply fertilizer to tomatoes when the fruit is marble-sized. |
6 If you plant anything this month, be especially careful to water enough. |
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11 Mother's Day-Treat your mother to a nice potted plant. |
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20 Apply more mulch if it has thinned down since you first put it on your beds. |
21 You may find you can harvest potatoes now. |
22 Turn the compost heap and water if it dries out. |
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24 Fertilize your lawn again. |
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26 Memorial Day |
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28 Keep an eye out for insect problems and treat early. Use organic methods of control. |
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June
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6 Now that it is hot again, be sure to water deeply enough to wet soil one to two inches. |
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10 Don't forget that potted plants must not be allowed to completely dry out or to sit in water. |
11 Trim back spent roses to rounded shape, if needed. |
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14 Flag Day |
15 Father's Day--buy Dad a manly plant, like a cactus or Mother-in-law's Tongue. |
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17 Get a small detail shrubber that is rechargeable. Use it often to keep shrubs trimmed neatly. |
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21 Summer Solstice |
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25 Eating frozen grapes while you work outside will keep you cooler. |
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27 Working an hour or two early in the morning will keep chores under control. |
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30 Keep spent flowers clipped off plants to encourage more blooms. |
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July
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2 Don't forget to take pictures of your garden mid summer. |
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4 Independence Day |
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8 It's too hot to plant anything. |
9 Keep perennials cut back to maintain a mounded shape and to encourage more flowers. |
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16 You can prune back your tomatoes and they may produce new growth for the fall. |
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22 Add only disease free plant prunings to your compost pile. |
23 Don't go out in the midday sun. Save your garden chores for early morning. |
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25 Keep spent flowers clipped off plants to encourage more blooms. |
26 Wear sunscreen. |
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30 Eating frozen grapes while you work outside will keep you cooler. |
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August
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1 Mow grass as high as you can to help it survive the heat. |
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5 It's too dang hot to plant anything! |
6 Cut back perennials and shrubs as needed so they won't become lanky. |
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13 Plant some fall vegetables. Before planting, renew area with addition of compost. |
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15 Don't forget to water adequately. |
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19 Move potted plants out of direct sun if you can during hottest hours of the day. |
20 Don't allow yourself to become overheated. Heat stroke is serious business. |
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23 Wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. |
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27 Provide fall vegetable plants a little shade from afternoon sun with boards leaning over them. |
28 You can also use shade cloth to protect young fall plantings. |
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September
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1 Labor Day |
2 Fertilize your lawn again. |
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5 Watch for fall webworms and dust with Bt. Break open webs so wasps can reach them. |
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8 A good prunning may help flowers to give you a second show in the fall. |
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16 Don't forget to water, water, water! |
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18 Continue fertilization program and water regularly if it doesn't rain. |
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22 Fall Equinox |
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24 As it begins to cool off, plant fall vegetables such as lettuce, Swiss chard, and root crops. |
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29 As leaves begin to fall, don't rake, just run your mulching mower over them. They make good fertilizer. |
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October
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2 Plant strawberries, wildflower seeds, trees, shrubs, perennials now. |
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6 Mulch and fertilize and don't forget to water if it doesn't rain. |
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12 Columbus Day |
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15 Divide iris that is too thick and transplant to new locations. |
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18 Add any fallen leaves to your flower and vegetable beds or compost pile. |
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21 Plant fall flowers such as petunias, pansies, snapdragons, stock, and alyssum. |
22 Plant fall vegetables such as onions, lettuces, greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and garlic. |
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27 Plant poppy seeds and wildflowers. |
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29 Be ready head of time to cover fall crops with floating row cover for the first time it freezes. |
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31 Halloween |
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December
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1 This is a good time to start hinting that you want garden theme Christmas presents! |
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10 Plant trees and shrubs, spring bulbs such as daffodils. |
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15 Rosemarys make good holiday decorations when trimmed as Christmas tree shapes. Then plant outside after Christmas. |
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19 Decorate the house with holiday plants, but watch out for nibbling cats and toddlers. |
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25 Christmas Day |
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27 You can still plant trees now, though it isn't the best time. |
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29 Take stock of what you did right and wrong this year and write it down in your journal for next season.
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