Monthly Garden Planner

We have provided you with twelve month planner for you and your garden, this will help you with knowing which jobs to do in the correct month.



January

  • Now is the ideal time to start planning any work you are thinking of doing in the garden in the coming year. You may need to draw up a plan, either for hard landscaping work, or planting plans for the borders. You can then plan your schedule through the year,  i.e. landscaping work is best done in early Spring, immediately followed by planting and turfing,  bulb planting in Autumn, vegetable planting/maintenance through the year, etc.
  • Prune any trees and shrubs if not already done
  • Shake off snow from your shrubs and trees, to avoid damage through the weight of the snow
  • Feed the birds. They play an important part in the ecosystem of your garden
  • You may also want to encourage hedgehogs, so help them find shelter
  • This is also an ideal time to check your tools. Existing tools may need sharpening and oiling, or mowers and petrol-driven tools serviced. You can also take note of what tools you may need to buy over the coming year
  • Check on any corms and tubers that you dug up and stored in November. Remove and discard any that show signs of disease or rot
  • Keep a regular check for any rotting or diseased plants and insects in your greenhouse too
  • The ashes from any fires you have over winter, can be used as a fertilizer for your Iris and other alkaline soil plants
  • If ground conditions are suitable, now is a good time to turn the soil, allowing the frost to break up heavy clods and to expose any insect eggs in the soil
  • Prepare ground for Asparagus
  • Plant Fruit trees and canes
  • Plant Garlic cloves in pots ready to transplant later
  • Plant bare root roses in to holes full of organic matter. The more the better. Plant deeply to prevent the root stock from shooting.
  • Prune wisteria by taking the side stems back to about 2.5 cm from the main stems

February

  • Protect early flowering or tender plants from frosts or snow, by covering them with fleece. Remember to remove the fleece as soon as the weather improves
  • Move any shrubs, trees or perennials around the garden and divide plants where necessary
  • Trees should be fed and/or mulched with well-composted manure
  • Fertiliser should be used to feed herbaceous borders and individual shrubs fertilised where necessary. My general purpose fertiliser of choice is chicken manure pellets
  • Apply dormant oil fruit spray
  • Deciduous vines such as honeysuckle should be pruned and shaped
  • If not already done, prune Raspberry canes to 6 inches.
  • Rhubarb, horseradish, asparagus and artichokes can be planted this month
  • Continue feeding the birds and clean out any bird boxes ready for Spring
  • Keep a check for any insects on your greenhouse plants
  • Turn the compost pile
  • Check all January’s jobs have been done

March

  • Repair any fencing, trellis-work, etc. that has been damaged over the winter
  • Weed the garden thoroughly. Perennial weeds, such as dandelions, thistles, docks, etc. are best treated with a systemic weed-killer, ensuring the roots are killed
  • This is an ideal time for lawn maintenance. Repair any damaged areas of the lawn by either re-turfing or seeding. De-thatch, rake and/or aerate the lawn
  • Feed lawns with a slow-release Spring weed & feed treatment. Organic treatments are better than synthetic products and I recommend using a lawn specialist to look after your lawn (Please contact us if you would like to be recommended to a local lawn specialist)
  • Prune roses and feed. Begin to spray for black spot, if necessary
  • Apply preservatives to all wooden items in the garden, such as sheds, pergolas, benches etc. if not done in the Autumn
  • Sow seeds of summer flowering annuals indoors
  • Prune winter Jasmine after flowering; cut honeysuckle back to 3ft
  • Prune Apple trees and other hardy fruit trees
  • Divide snowdrops while in leaf
  • Remove all dead blooms from bulbs
  • Fertilize any bulbs that have finished blooming with bone meal or similar
  • Fertilize tulips as foliage appears and again after flowering. Daffodils and tulips should be fertilized again in early to mid-August.
  • Plant Primroses and Pansies
  • Work well-composted manure or compost into vegetable beds
  • Peas and sweet peas can be planted
  • Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery, leeks, onions, early potatoes, and radish seeds may be planted in the garden about mid month
  • Spinach, Chard, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and other hardy vegetables can be seeded or set out late in the month
  • Plant Strawberries, Blueberries, Currants, Loganberries, Boysenberries, Grapes, and fruit trees
  • Time to start tomatoes, lettuce, and many other vegetables from seed
  • Whitefly in the greenhouse – treat it with a parasitic wasp and bacterial soap.
  • Check all February’s jobs have been done

April

  • This is the perfect time to sort lawns out. They may need moss/thatch raking out and over-seeding, or bumps and dips levelled out. The lawn can be aerated to improve drainage and aerate soil
  • Feed lawns with a slow-release Spring weed & feed treatment if not done in March. I recommend using a lawn specialist to look after your lawn (Please contact us if you would like to be recommended to a local lawn specialist)
  • Clip conifers
  • Prune your Forsythia after it finishes flowering
  • Deadhead spring flowering bulbs, but do not cut off the green foliage yet
  • Plant summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas and lilies. You may continue planting additional bulbs every two weeks until mid June to ensure a continuous source of bloom
  • Plant annual seeds of asters, cosmos, marigolds, zinnias in the garden
  • Aquatic plants should be bought after the last frosts
  • Plant vegetables like asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish, peas, carrots, beets, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. Root crops like potatoes, radishes, parsnips and onions can be planted at anytime. Late this month you can plant beans
  • Cut back dead raspberry canes and thin new canes to five per foot, to prevent over-crowding
  • When all frosts has passed, uncover strawberry plants and keep them well watered

May

  • Spring is here and it’s a great time to add a water feature to your garden, or accessorise with furniture, hammocks, shades, kids stuff etc.
  • Don’t forget to water plants, trees and lawn if the weather is dry
  • Dead-head Rhododendrons and Azaleas
  • Promptly dead-head flowers unless you intend to collect the seeds
  • Any repairs to lawns should be completed by the end of the month, if not already done
  • Keep on top of the weeding. Using a systemic spray gun weed-killer is by far the easiest way to control perennial weeds like dandelions
  • Ponds should be stocked with oxygenating plants and surface cover plants, such as Floating Heart, Water Hyacinth, Water Poppy, Water Lily, or Lotus, if the pond is in full sun. At least 50% of the surface area of the pond should be covered when in full sun
  • Slugs and snails are out in full force right now. Be sure to take steps to control them now, before they have a chance to reproduce and devastate your garden
  • If you have a compost heap or bin, keep adding, turning and using your compost
  • Work lime in the soil around your Hydrangeas to produce pink flowers or Aluminium Sulphate for blue
  • Remove any sucker growths from fruit trees as soon as they appear
  • Keep a vigilante eye on the roses. Keep them sprayed for aphids and other pests and diseases such as black spot
  • Lilacs should be pruned lightly after they finish blooming, removing sucker growths and dead blooms. Feed lilacs in May with a good all purpose fertiliser
  • Dahlias, Gladiolas, tuberous Begonias, Lilies and Cannas and other summer flowering bulbs can all be planted this month
  • Setting canes and plant supports next to your taller perennials early in the season, will help to support the plant against winds and rain, as well as making it easier to ‘train’
  • Onions, Carrots, lettuce, potatoes, corn, beans, peas and most popular vegetables can be seeded or planted into the vegetable garden at any time now
  • Wait until mid to late May before planting the warmer weather crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumber, pumpkins and peppers
  • Protect strawberry plants from the birds and pick off blossom from new plants

June

  • June is a great time to plant-up borders
  • Check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis
  • Lawns should be treated again with a slow-release fertiliser and a weed treatment applied. A wetting agent can be applied to help retain moisture in the soil. I recommend using a lawn specialist to look after your lawn (Please contact us if you would like to be recommended to a local lawn specialist)
  • Don’t forget to water plants, trees and lawn if the weather is dry
  • Feed all your evergreens (Hollies, Boxwoods and Yews) and deciduous trees (Maples, Oaks and Ash) with tree & shrub food
  • Control slugs and snails on hostas and other plants with diatomaceous earth or slug traps
  • Use Round-Up or a systemic weed-killer to kill perennial weeds
  • Fruit trees need to be sprayed on a regular basis, but do not spray when blossoms are wide open
  • Fertilize fruits and vegetables with a good quality, slow-release vegetable food
  • Time to plant strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries if not already done
  • Harvest early potatoes
  • Time to stake tomatoes and spray them if necessary to prevent disease problems
  • Protect Carrots from carrot fly and Cabbages from caterpillar damage by covering the crop with Enviromesh or similar and treat accordingly

July

  • Summer is here and it’s a great time to add a water feature to your garden, or accessorise with furniture, hammocks, shades, wild-life habitats etc.
  • Check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis
  • Water lawn if necessary
  • Spruce up your summer landscape with pots and hanging baskets
  • Control slugs and snails on hostas and other plants with diatomaceous earth or slug traps
  • Use Round-Up or a systemic weed-killer to kill perennial weeds
  • Spray roses to keep black spot and other problems under control
  • Fruit trees should be on a regular spray program
  • Thin fruit trees is the best way to obtain larger, and better quality fruit. When thinning remove any damaged or poor quality fruit and then remove the remaining fruit so there is at least 5 cm between each fruit. Remove any excessive growth on trees
  • Spray tomato plants and other vegetables to control diseases
  • Stake tomato plants
  • Keep the greenhouse well ventilated
  • Keep green-house as clean as possible to prevent pests and diseases from thriving
  • Keep all salad crops well watered in hot weather
  • Fertilize fruits and vegetables as needed with a good quality, slow-release vegetable food such as Osmocote
  • Start seeds for Autumn vegetables this month, including Broccoli,  Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Broad Beans, Dwarf Beans, Mung Beans, Beetroot, Spring Cabbage, Carrots (for continuation), Next years Cauliflowers, Chicory, Coriander (Cilantro), Endive, Kohl Rabi, Lettuce for continuation and winter lettuce, Pak Choi, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Turnips
  • Harvest Early Dwarf and Runner Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Celeriac, Celery, Coriander, Cucumber, Endive, Kale, Lettuce, Spring Onions, Bulb Onions, Peppers, Rhubarb, Rocket, Spinach, Strawberry, Swiss Chard, Tomato

August

  • Daffodils and tulips should be fertilized in early to mid-August
  • Feed lawns with a slow-release weed & feed treatment. Organic treatments are better than synthetic products and I recommend using a lawn specialist to look after your lawn (Please contact us if you would like to be recommended to a local lawn specialist)
  • Don’t forget to water plants, trees and lawn if the weather is dry
  • Feed plants in borders with an organic fertilizer
  • Control slugs and snails on hostas and other plants with diatomaceous earth or slug traps
  • Use Round-Up or a systemic weed-killer to kill perennial weeds
  • Harvest herbs and dry excess for winter use
  • Take cuttings or divide Sage
  • If you have not done so already pinch out the tops of Cordon Tomato plants to prevent them from growing too tall. This will improve the maturing fruits
  • Keep the greenhouse well ventilated
  • Keep green-house as clean as possible to prevent pests and diseases from thriving
  • Protect Cauliflowers
  • The following seeds can be sown: Spring Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Chicory, Winter Lettuce, Mung Beans, Autumn Onion, Radicchio, Turnip

September

  • Autumn is a great time to start planning the garden for moving plants around and adding plants, bulbs etc.  You can start to add trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and turfing from now through to March
  • September is the perfect time to sort out lawns. This can include aerating and/or de-thatching the lawn and seeding. This includes both seeding a new lawn and over-seeding an established lawn to make it thicker and healthier
  • Lawns can also be top-dressed with an organic compost, to improve root growth
  • Lawns can also be fertilised with a slow-release weed & feed treatment
  • September is also a good time to apply a grub control to your lawn
  • Feed evergreens (Hollies, Box and Yews) and deciduous trees with a tree & shrub food containing slow-release nitrogen, sulphate of potash and iron
  • Finish summer pruning of apple and pear trees
  • Harvest apples, pears, plums and store apples, wrapping them individually in newspaper
  • Harvest haricot beans
  • You can still seed beets, radishes, turnips, and leaf lettuce
  • Sow broad beans and hardy peas for early crops next year
  • Collect seeds & beans for sowing next year

October

  • Using your plan from September, start moving any plants around the garden and adding plants, bulbs etc. to borders
  • Prune your shrubs to shape and remove any dead wood
  • Treat lawns with an Autumn feed to help boost root growth over the winter
  • Treat any weeds with a systemic weed-killer, such as ‘Round-up’
  • Complete any lawn treatments not done in September (see September’s List)
  • Remove fallen leaves from borders and lawn
  • October is a good month to apply preservatives to all wooden items in the garden, such as sheds, pergolas, benches etc.
  • Time to transplant peonies or divide them if you wish to multiply your plants
  • Cut back all perennials where foliage has died back, to approx. 2-3-inches of base
  • Spring-flowering bulbs are best planted in October. Plant Iris, Tulips, Crocus, Daffodils, Alliums and others for Spring colour next year
  • Lift Gladiolus. Remove the tops and let them dry for two weeks. Dust them with Sulphur. Store in dry peat moss or vermiculite at room temperature
  • Lift, dry and store Dahlias late October-November, before first frosts. Corms should be stored upside-down, in a cool, frost-free and dark place over winter
  • Plant cabbages
  • Harvest Pumpkins and Squashes and leave them in a sunny but dry location to allow their skins to harden. Then store them in a cool, dry, dark place
  • Lift potatoes, carrots and beetroot, but leave parsnips until they have been frosted
  • Pick remaining beans
  • Lift and divide rhubarb crowns
  • After harvesting blackberries and raspberries cut the stems down ready for next years growth.
  • Cover fig trees with netting and fill with straw to keep the embryonic figs free from frost to allow them to continue to grow next year.

November

  • Using your plan from September, you can move/transplant trees, shrubs and perennials from the end of the month through to March
  • Cut back all perennials where foliage has died back, to approx. 2-3-inches of base
  • Prune your shrubs to shape and remove any dead wood
  • Remove fallen leaves from borders and lawn
  • Tulip bulbs may still be planted in the early part of the month
  • Move Acers to a sheltered area, out of cold winds
  • Please feed the birds and other small creatures that may not be able to find food due to snow on the ground or other causes. Their natural food sources have pretty much dried up by this time of the year
  • Drain your hose and put it away so they don’t freeze and burst
  • Apply moss control treatment to lawns, if necessary
  • Make sure tender plants are protected from frost. Mulching with bark, sawdust or straw will help create a blanket of protection over the root system, or even material, as a short-term solution to keep snow and frosts off
  • Lift, dry and store Dahlias before first frosts. Corms should be stored upside-down, in a cool, frost-free and dark place over winter
  • Cover strawberries two inches deep with hay or straw
  • Make sure that the canes of your climbing roses, raspberries and climbers are securely fastened to their supports. Winter winds can whip and severely damage unprotected plants
  • As soon as the leaves fall from fruit trees, raspberries and other deciduous plants, they can be sprayed for the first time with a dormant spray
  • Cut the tops off your asparagus plants, and add a winter dressing of aged manure to the bed
  • Plant Garlic cloves
  • Continue to watch for insect, slug and snail, or disease damage throughout the garden, and take the necessary steps to control the problem
  • When you have finished your last mowing of the year, make sure that it is properly stored. Run it until it is out of fuel and give it a service
  • Clean and oil your garden tools for winter storage

December

  • Prune trees before snow falls to prevent damage caused by the weight of snow
  • Protect tender plants, such as Cordylines, Tree ferns, Pittosporum, Ceanothus, Passion flower, etc. by wrapping with fleece and stuffing with straw where necessary, or move them into a green-house, if possible
  • Take care of our feathered friends! Keep your bird feeder filled, especially when there is snow on the ground
  • Remove any fallen leaves from borders and lawn
  • Make sure your outdoor taps are covered and turned off inside to protect them from freezing
  • Don’t let your hose freeze and burst. Stretch it out with both ends open, to allow the water to drain completely. Coil it up and put it away
  • Buy in some bags of rock salt, if you want to keep paths clear
  • Check heater is working in green-house and check for fuel stock
  • Clean the greenhouse glass inside and out, then insulate the whole greenhouse using bubble wrap. Check plants weekly to make sure they are not rotting or infected with any diseases. Also, remove any leaves from guttering
  • Check on any corms and tubers that you dug up and stored in November. Remove and discard any that show signs of disease or rot
  • Stay off frozen grass if possible
  • December is a good month to take cuttings of rhododendrons, azaleas, and other evergreen shrubs. The cutting should be taken from new tip growth, and kept in bright light, at about 70 degrees f