Seasons with Scott

Scott’s Landscape Care List

Good housekeeping is the key to a successful garden.  Below is a list of some basic things you can do to care for your garden and landscape.  Even though this is a general list, if you follow these basic rules it will keep your landscape and gardens in good shape.

Spring

• Deadhead all annuals and perennials on a weekly basis.
• Cut back ornamental grasses.
• Cut back any perennials not done in the fall.
• Keep beds free of weeds.
• Prune back evergreen or non-flowering deciduous shrubs.
• Trim low branches from trees as needed.
• Fertilize spring bulbs as soon as green growth emerges.
• Fertilize plant material with a well-balanced fertilizer.
• Prune roses as the new growth appears and begin fertilizing once a month with a well balanced rose food.  Keep this up until August.
• Divide any summer or fall blooming perennials as needed.
• Apply pre-emergent weed control.
• Install mulch as needed.
• Water beds a minimum of 1” per week.  If you don’t have a sprinkler system this means a good soaking 1-2 times per week.
• Install spring annuals and perennials after the soil warms (usually early May).
• Fertilize hydrangea, dogwoods, rhododendrons, and azaleas with a fertilizer made for acid-loving plants.  Miracid is a good one.
• Inspect trees and shrubs for insects or disease.  Apply insecticide and/or fungicide as needed.
• Be sure to remove leaves from your beds as some may harbor disease.

Summer

• Continue deadheading those annuals and perennials on a weekly basis.
• Keep beds free from weeds. Apply 2nd application of weed control.
• Trim back any spring flowering shrubs in early summer.
• Inspect trees and shrubs for insects or disease.  Apply insecticide and/or fungicide as needed.
• In the height of summer when the temperature is up and the rain is low your beds (and landscape) will need at least 3” of water per week.  It is best to spread the watering out to 2 or 3 times per week.
• Newly planted landscapes will need to be carefully watched for stress during the hottest months.
• Divide iris or daylilies in late summer.

Fall

• Keep weeding those beds! Apply 3rd application of weed control if needed.
• Remove stakes from any trees that were planted the previous year.
• Apply 2nd application of fertilizer to trees and shrubs.
• Divide spring blooming perennials as needed – daffodils, daisies, poppies, peonies…
• Prune summer flowering shrubs.
• Water beds a minimum of 1” per week.
• Deep root feed large trees and shrubs.
• Install mums or pansies.
• Install spring bulbs before the first hard freeze, usually November or early December.
• After the first hard freeze, cut back perennials, mulch delicate plants and any newly planted shrubs.