Welcome To The Potted Garden

Mother Nature acts as a ‘great equalizer’ and it is better to take garden chore queues from what the sky, temperature and the soil are illustrating instead of a hard fast date on the calendar. In our ever changing season creep, demonstrated through hotter spring and summer seasons, followed by extreme snow falls, plummeting temperatures and winter precipitation, gardeners are highly aware of the changing weather patterns. Here in a picturesque section of northern New Jersey, summers now stretch into late October and early November, temperatures frequently plummet into single digits, modifying our USDA Plant Hardiness Zone as well as creating new challenges for the quest of the ‘new hardy.’

The ever changing weather patterns have created a situation requiring gardeners to maintain the best care and well-being for plant collections. What a typical season looks like, however, is changing. Climate change can make certain types of extreme weather more intense or frequent, thus creating new challenges for gardeners. Please remember that this suggested seasonal chore outline must be adjusted for your Zone, climactic factors such as snow cover and winter sun exposure, proximity to water, and microclimates. These factors can influence your gardening activities and plant durability. The following month by month suggestions are meant to act as a guide, and not steadfast rules.

JANUARY

Planning January

• Spend time with your notes from the past season, begin making lists for divisions, relocations, and additions

• Determine types and quantities of plants you will need to order

• A great time for ‘arm chair’ gardening – place orders with seed and nursery catalogs now

Maintenance

• Place branches from your Christmas tree on top of tender perennials for insulation

• Inspect ornamental trees and shrubs for scale insects

• Re-dress frost heaved perennials with an extra layer of mulch

• Prune away storm damaged branches promptly, to prevent tearing of bark

• Prune pussy willow, quince to bring branches in for forcing

• Keep bird feeders filled throughout winter

FEBRUARY

Planning

• Complete seed and nursery orders, review past seasons notes, photos and sketches to develop plan for this growing season

Maintenance

• Verify that all mulches and winter plant protection are still in place. Do not be fooled by warm sunny days, it is still too early to remove cold weather protection

• Continue to inspect trees and shrubs for rodent and weather damage

• Prune summer and fall blooming shrubs

• Clean and sharpen tools, in preparation for spring

• Sow seeds of annuals which require a long growing season i.e. lobelia, petunia, vinca, verbena, snapdragon

• Keep bird feeders filled throughout winter

MARCH

Planning March

• Test for soil types and PH levels before any major planting. As soon as the soil is workable, contact your local cooperative extension service and inquire with an agent for steps and processes to complete an assessment

Maintenance

• Remove winter protection from planting beds; do so with care, as plant materials may have initiated new growth

• Dig compost into garden beds for spring planting, as soon as soil is friable and dry

• Reset frost-heaved plants

• Apply horticultural oil sprays to dormant trees and shrubs before buds open and there is no danger of night frost

• Start spraying deer and rodent repellant frequently

• Cut back ornamental grasses, butterfly bushes, vitex, Russian sage and native smooth hydrangeas. Wait until after flowering on early flowering shrubs such as forsythia, hydrangea macrophylla, rhododendron and syringa

• Prune all plant material to remove any diseased, dead, weak or crossing branches

• Complete tree and shrub pruning before new growth begins

• Fertilize deciduous, broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreen shrubs and trees, if not fed in fall

• Apply fertilizer to roses as new growth begins

• Make a ball of string, strips of old cloth and dryer lint and suspend in your trees or dense shrubs for the birds to make nests

APRIL

Planning April

• Review garden footprints for gaps that can be filled by spring flowering bulbs, note for July ordering

• Determine range of four season characteristics within garden; note areas for supplemental plant material such as annuals to bridge gaps in perennial bloom sequence, flowering trees and shrubs for color and time of bloom to add to the garden

Maintenance

• Continue to remove winter protection/mulches

• Continue to dig beds in preparation for planting and compost addition

• Begin weed removal

• Continue to apply horticultural oil sprays to control insect pests on trees if temperature is above 40 degrees

• Cut back last year’s growth from non- spring blooming herbaceous perennials to the ground

• Sow seed for cold tolerant vegetables (lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas, carrots)

• Plant deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, weather and soil conditions permitting

• Sow seeds of hardy annuals in place in the garden

• Set supports for peonies

• Plant early spring containers

• Continue to plant and transplant perennials

• Complete rose planting

• Fertilize perennials when you see 2-3” of new growth

• Fertilize bulbs as they finish blooming

• Fertilize needled evergreens

MAY

Maintenance May

• Dig and divide early-blooming perennials after flowering

• Lift, divide and replant late summer and fall-blooming perennials

• Set up line and supports for vines and other plant materials

• Begin watering program, as dictated by current weather patterns, long slow waterings are always best

• Begin weeding

• Mulch planting beds to assist with water retention, weed reduction and end of season root insulation

• Deadhead bulbs but allow foliage to remain, untied, until yellow to nourish bulbs for next seasons show

• Begin diligent inspections for pests and other problems within the garden beds

• Continue application of deer repellents

• Move self-sown annuals and perennials to desired locations or share with friends

• Complete planting of deciduous trees and shrubs, weather permitting

• Pinch back late summer and fall blooming perennials to promote full growth

• Prune early spring-flowering shrubs after blooming

• Begin dead heading roses and fertilize

• Prune evergreens into early summer

JUNE

Maintenance June

• Continue weeding

• Change over early spring containers to begin summer containers

• Water as needed; long slow waterings are best

• Deadhead early blooming shrubs, once bloom cycle is completed: lilacs, rhododendrons

• Begin to spray roses every week to protect against black spot disease; fertilize roses

• Continue application of deer repellents

• Sow seeds directly into soil for fast growing annuals such as marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos

• Finish planting summer annual plants

• Complete planting summer-flowering blubs such as dahlias and gladiolas

• Plant caladium and tuberous begonias in shady nooks

• Pinch back asters, sedums and chrysanthemums to promote tighter habits

JULY

Planning July

• Order spring-flowering bulbs for fall planting

• Assess areas in the garden that may need additional plant materials

• Determine larger plant material needs for fall planting: trees and shrubs

• Photograph garden to best capture triumphs and weaknesses; black and white photos best demonstrate areas of need; make notes for next seasons plans

Maintenance

• Continue watering as needed; long slow waterings are always best

• Prioritize plants that are in most need of water; practice wise watering techniques

• Deep water younger large landscape plants at least once during drought periods; set hose on slow trickle and move every half hour around drip line; constantly monitor

• Continue to weed

• Monitor growth of plants requiring staking, line, support

• Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage continual bloom

• Continue to spray roses weekly and deadhead

• Remove fallen leaves or debris from garden beds which can promote insect pests and disease

• Continue to apply deer repellent

AUGUST September

Maintenance

• If rain is still in short supply continue wise watering techniques

• Continue weeding, deadheading

• Continue to check for pests and treat as needed

• Continue to keep garden beds clean of fallen leaf and other debris to reduce insect
pests and disease

• Continue to deadhead roses

• Continue to apply deer repellent

• Cut flowers for drying: hydrangeas, yarrow, strawflower, cockscomb, gomphrena

• Divide bearded Iris and discard any borer-damaged sections

• Divide hellebores during the later part of this month

• Plant late season annuals for fall color; change over container gardens

SEPTEMBER

Planning Sept

• Continue assessments of garden performance and list needs for next growing season

Maintenance

• Collect seed from perennials and annuals

• Continue to cut flowers for drying

• Rid gardens of early fall leaf debris; recycling it into compost pile for later use

• Continue to apply deer repellent

• Start planting spring flowering bulbs

• Taper back on rose feeding and leave last blooms on roses so that they produce rose hips, adding to the gardens winter color

• Add organic matter such as manure or compost to improve garden soil structure

• Begin to watch weather and if frost threatens, take in houseplants; pinch back houseplants before returning them indoors and treat with an insecticidal soap to ensure pests do not compromise the plant

• Take cuttings of begonias, geraniums, coleus to grow on as houseplants

• Begin to feed birds

OCTOBER

Planning October

• Continue to use garden notes and photographs to plan for future plantings

• Prepare sketches for use next season

Maintenance

• Compost fallen leaves and garden debris

• Continue to weed

• Finish staking for late blooming chrysanthemums

• Lift and store tender bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, gladiolus after first frost

• Complete planting, transplanting of broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens and water thoroughly

• Complete lifting and dividing of iris, hellebores, daylilies

• Pot up parsley, chives and rosemary to grow indoors

• Plant bare-root roses

• Finish planting up spring-flowering bulbs

• Pot up amaryllis, tulips and other prepared bulbs and store in cool dark place until ready to force for indoor enjoyment

• Complete pre winter pruning of rambler and climbing roses to reduce winter damage

• Prune late-flowering shrubs and trees when dormant

• Bring all houseplants in before frost

• Suspend houseplant fertilizing; resume in March

• Keep bird feeders filled

NOVEMBER

Planning

• Have soil tested at a local cooperative extension service to determine PH and nutritional levels of soil, in preparation for next growing season

Maintenance

• Continue to water thoroughly until ground freezes

• Complete leaf debris removal to protect from overwintering of insects and disease

• Cut back perennials, but leave ornamental structures in garden for winter interest

• Protect trees and shrubs from deer with burlap or netting

• Continue to plant deciduous trees and shrubs until ground freezes

• Pot up hardy spring bulbs for indoor forcing

• Complete pruning of late-blooming trees and shrubs

• Fertilize trees and shrubs before the ground freezes so that food will be available to plants in early spring

• Clean out containers so that they do not freeze and crack, stow for use next season

• Continue to feed birds

DECEMBER

Planning December

• Use garden notes, photos and sketches to assess areas which need plants

• Determine types and quantities of plants to order

• Begin to order plants from seed and nursery catalogs

Maintenance

• Create winter containers made of fresh cut greens, berries, branches and pods/cones (prune evergreen branches and other plant material from your garden for use in your winter containers and decorations)

• Assess amount of mulch that remains post growing season, ensure a thorough amount still exists in the garden, as it is useful for plant root insulation; re-dress as necessary

• Keep bird feeders filled through winter

• Monitor indoor plants for pests

• Introduce pre potted indoor bulbs to increased sunlight, to enjoy during the winter months

Contact Beth for more information

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