January
|
| It is a great time
of year to have soil tested
to determine PH requirements. A good test reading should fall between
6.8 and 7.2. If your soil has too much acidity, apply lime to the soil
for a healthy lawn and garden. For those of you who want to start a
garden, start the design work now and order any seeds for new or
unusual
varieties. To protect roots in order to promote growth for the next
season, keep mulch at least 3" thick. Watch for any upcoming freezes
and make sure that plants are watered 24 hours prior to the freeze.
Insects can be a problem for all gardens. In order to minimize these
pest, till fallow gardens to expose dormant insects to killing cold
temperatures. For vegetable gardens, start tomatoes and peppers from
seed, and plant carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, and radishes. |
February
|
| It's time to
complete maintenance on lawn mowers,
chain saws, etc. Make sure the blades are sharpened, change out oil and
spark plugs. Start flower or vegetable seeds indoors for transplanting
in 4-6 weeks. Prune all dormant trees, shrubs, roses. DO NOT prune
azaleas or climbing roses. Go ahead and fertilize Pecan trees and
Citrus with a complete balanced fertilizer. February is the perfect
time of year to transplant trees and woody shrubs. If possible keep
pruning on the property and start a compost pile. |
March
|
| Your beautiful
foliage and color, plant hibiscus
and holiday gift plants like poinsettias. Citrus trees need to be
installed this month with full sun and good drainage. Fertilize lawns
and shrubs with a slow release (16-1-18 or 21-3-3) so fertilizer is
available when the warmer months arrive. Once the azaleas, and dogwoods
have completely bloomed you may prune and fertilize. Check seedlings
this month. They should be in before mid month to assure production
before heat stress occurs. Make sure all newly planted items are
watered thoroughly to hasten growth. |
April
|
| Perform a weekly
observation on the lawn for
insects and disease, and watch for scale on camellias and white flies
on
gardenias. Remove dead blooms from flowers to inherence continuous
bloom.
Harvest all vegetables when they ripen. This discourages pests and
disease. Fertilize palm trees. April is the month for showers, if it is
rainy, shut off irrigation timers. Mow lawns at the proper height
(3.5-4" for St. Augustine, 3.5-4" for Bahia). |
May
|
| Treat young mole
crickets early in order to gain
control later. Rematch to combat weeds. Mulch should be at least 3'
deep. Fertilize plum, nectarines, and peaches with a 16-4-8 fertilizer.
In sunny areas for St. Augustine sod, check for chinch bugs. Fertilize
for the second time this year with 16-1-18 or 21-3-3. Plant summer
herbs such as sage, marjoram, oregon, basil and mint. Make sure herbs
are planted in a sunny location. Make sure all plants receive an
adequate amount of water. |
June
|
| Prune azaleas
before flower buds develop for
next spring's bloom. Prune hydrangeas, gardenias, and hibiscus after
they finish blooming. Pinch tips of shrubs to encourage fullness,
particularly in shady areas. Monitor rainfall, you may not need to use
a irrigation system. Watch for manganese deficiency in palms and
cicadas
(sagas). Inspect for chinch bugs. |
July
|
| Make sure that mole
crickets are controlled. This
is the last month to gain control and expect good results. Monitor St.
Augustine sod for chinch bugs. Remove any weak or dead limbs to prepare
for hard rains and storms. Plant only heat tolerant
flowers such as impatients. Be on the look out for aphids on vegetables
and flowering annuals. |
August
|
| During wet period
keep an eye out for fungus
(brown areas in lawns). Start seeds for fall or the cool-season
gardens. Pinch back tips of poinsettias and chrysanthemums to create
bushier plants and healthy blooms. Watch for the twig borer on dogwood
trees. Prune faded crape myrtle blossoms to encourage second blooming.
Plant grass seed now if you want good results. Water daily potted
plants. Test PH in vegetable garden to see if lime is needed. |
September
|
| Fertilize (8-8-8,
or 10-10-10) young trees and
shrubs to increase cold hardiness. Apply a final fertilizer for the
year to lawns. Do not prune poinsettias after September 10th, as it may
interfer with flowering in December. Divide bulbs to reduce competition
and promote blooms. Most bulbs need a resting period, however Amaryllis
do not, so replant them immediately. Divide daylilies and replant.
Inspect hibiscus, gardenias, and indian hawthorne for scale. |
October
|
| Plant cold hardy
trees and shrubs to give them a
long establishment period before spring. Keep inspecting for pest.
Insects will feed heavily to prepare for winter. Transplant perennials.
Mulch heavily and keep the soil moist to hasten establishment. Use
fallen leaves for compost and mulch. Remove and store caladiums.
October can be a dry month, watch for water stress. |
November
|
| Plant strawberries
for a spring harvest. Reduce
irrigation during cool weather to one half of your summer application.
Watch for scale on camellias, hollies, and pittisporum. To enjoy a
green winter lawn, sow ryegrass now. Sow rate at 10 pounds per every
1,000ft. Remember to mulch plants for cold protection. Use pineneedles
or leaves for inexpensive mulching. Make sure plants are covered with
at least 3' of mulch. Check evergreens for mites. Plant carnations,
dianthus, pansy, and snapdragons for winter bloom. |
December
|
| Now is the time to
transplant small trees and
shrubs during their dormant period. Make sure plants are watered at
least 24 hours before a freeze. This will help to increase their cold
tolerance. Prune dormant fruit trees and young ornamental trees now.
Mow and fertilize ryegrass. Place holiday plants in good sunlight and
cool tempatures for long lasting blooms. Utilize fallen leaves for
mulch or add them to a compost pile. |
