Photo by Jack Kotz
The beginning of March is a good
time to :
••
Sow seeds indoors to be transplanted outdoors later in the month when the danger of frost is gone .
••
Repot houseplants .
••
Plant summer annuals .
••
Plant summer bulbs .
••
Sprig grasses .
••
Fertilize and spray shrubs , trees , roses , ornamentals , and lawns .
••
Continue to prune your shrubs and bushes but be sure not to cut off the emerging blooms .
••
Water your plants in the morning rather than the evening to prevent fungus forming overnight .
••
Cut back leaves from your bulbs that have finished blooming but wait until the leaves turn yellow . This gives them a chance to store food for the next year .
April usually requires a continuation of March ’ s activities in your garden . This is when you get to enjoy your beautiful flowering azaleas , roses , forsythia , spirea , dogwood , Japanese magnolia , wisteria , flowering quince , gardenias ,
etc .
••
Continue to plant summer bulbs , staggering the planting every couple of weeks , so that you will have flowers throughout the summer .
••
Plant summer vegetables .
••
Plant heat-loving varieties such as portulaca , marigolds , vinca , zinnias , salvia , petunias , verbena .
••
Move your houseplants to a nice shady spot in your garden for the summer .
Photo by Kathy Keane
••
Prune your spring flowering plants such as azaleas after they bloom
•
• Mulch your gardens with pine straw or wood chips , and give them plenty of water .
••
Fertilize your spring-blooming shrubs , grass , and bedding plants .
May and June are months in which you can start to enjoy the fruits of your labors with your flowers , shrubs , and
vegetables .
••
Plant daylilies and other heat-loving plants .
••
Dig up winter flowering annuals such as pansies and snapdragons .
••
Fertilize shrubs , roses , daylilies , and plantings about every 4 to 5 weeks . Wait until buds show to feed annuals . If not , you will get lots of lush foliage and few flowers .
••
Prune azaleas and other flowering shrubs and other plantings to control size . Be sure to prune your azaleas before July when they set their buds for next year .
••
Pinch back the tips of chrysanthemums , coleus , and other plants to encourage more blossoms and bushier plants . Also , deadhead ( remove dead blossoms ) from flowering plants .
••
Watch for pests such as moles , crickets , aphids , and Japanese beetles . Treat accordingly . All spraying should be done before the hot summer months .
••
Mulch your shrubs and water thoroughly if going on vacation .
Photo by Pamela Cohen
Usually , the months of July and August are hot and often dry . Keep an eye on your plants for signs of drought
and diseases .
••
Plant a second crop of summer vegetables .
••
Divide and replant daylilies and irises .
••
Fertilize your plants , but not if there are drought conditions . They can get badly burned if they do not have enough water .
••
Prune flowers that have become too tall to encourage more blooms .
••
Take cuttings of flowering perennials and shrubs to create plantings for next spring .
••
Keep a good watch for insects , moles , slugs , etc . and treat accordingly .
••
Cut grass a few inches higher because of the heat .
••
Gently prune your hydrangeas , oleanders , and crepe myrtles .
••
Plant root vegetables toward the end of August .
••
Water during these hot , dry months , remembering to do so in the early morning , not nighttime .
Hopefully , these gardening tips will help you to enjoy our beautiful Island and help to insure success with your gardens . Be sure to take time to reflect upon what was most successful and least successful then , based on your results act accordingly for . Finally , by all means , remember our native fauna . Try to select deer-resistant plants or plant enough for both of you . NK
WINTER / SPRING 2017 • VOLUME 37
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