January / February
When your shrubs need an extreme prune, dormant pruning is the answer. Some shrubs can be cut back as early as December or as late as March. January and February are the prime time for dormant pruning. To prevent damage be sure that an experienced technician performs the prune. Tree and shrub pesticides are not designed to be preventative, but dormant oil can effectively reduce an over wintering pest population and “prevent” a destructive spring infestation. If you have had a history of mites or scale consider a dormant oil application to get things under control. Dormant oil should be applied by a trained applicator between December and the end of March.
March
March is the time to prepare for spring. Ornamental grasses should be cut back and all dead plant material, leaves, limbs and clippings should be removed. Layers of debris harbor insects and promote mold growth, leading to disease. You also want to apply pre-emergent to the beds before the end of March to prevent weed and grass seed from germinating in your landscape beds.
April
April is officially the beginning of the lawn and garden season. Regular garden and lawn maintenance, irrigation and fertilization get under way. Weeding beds and removal of tree suckers and back growth on a regular basis will eliminate competition for food and water. Lawns should be mowed on a regular basis to a height of 2.5 “to 3.5” to maintain the health of the turf. Irrigation should be started up and repaired. Roses need there first fertilization and any dead cane should be removed. Generally annuals should start going in around Mother’s Day when the risk of a hard freeze has diminished. Keep a watchful eye out for aphids on all plants beginning in April and into May. In late April into May start watching for the beginnings for bagworms. They are hard to control, so they must be treated sooner rather than later.
May
Make sure that your irrigation cycle is complete by 7 AM. Irrigation running later will simply evaporate in warmer weather before it can soak in. Using the cycle and soak method will reduce water waste, drainage problems, fungus, and promote deeper root growth. Deeper root growth will make the turf more heat and drought tolerant. Don’t forget your annuals, they need water every morning. Your controller may have additional programs available to water just the annuals. Consult your irrigation specialist to program your controller. Watch roses for powdery mildew and aphids. There are combination insecticide/fungicides that are useful at this time. Remember to watch out for bagworms. FYI you don’t just find them on evergreens any more, they can be anywhere.
June
Fungus spores are always present in the turf. Climates changes and irrigation practices can stimulate overgrowth. Temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s plus higher humidity levels stimulate fungus growth in the turf. As it warms up, you will start to see changes in color. There will be patches of dark and lighter greens and yellowing. Do not increase your watering time. You may need to adjust your irrigation to eliminate excess water.
Have a lawn care specialist inspect and identify the type of fungus. This is critical in choosing the most effective fungicide to apply. There is no preventative fungicide. Cycle and soak irrigation methods will minimize your risk. In addition, as it gets hotter, watch for signs of mites. Leaf drop or discoloration usually indicates a mite infestation in shrubs. This needs to be treated with a commercial grade miticide, as soon as possible, to the minimize damage If you have annuals, a lack of flowers, late June into July may be a sign of bud worms. If treated early your flowers will recover nicely. Yellowing and/or spots on rose leaves maybe signs of fungus. This needs to be evaluated and treated appropriately before it gets worse.
July
Thunderstorms can sometimes reset irrigation controllers to a default setting. Make sure your irrigation is off by 7 AM. If you are using the cycle and soak method your lawn is prepared for the hot weather. This method promotes deeper root growth which increases the turf tolerance to hot and dry conditions. You should not need to increase your watering time or add days. If needed add a day at a time, but do not increase the watering time. Do not water at night when it is hot, this is an invitation for fungus. Remember to back off the extra day(s) when the weather improves. If a particular area of the lawn seems to be suffering, there could be a malfunction in the irrigation system which needs attention. Again, watch for mite infestations and get them treated before they get out of control. Fungus of all kinds can still appear. This is also approximately the time you might begin to see grub damage. Any discoloration of turf or leaves should be evaluated and treated accordingly.
August
Remember, don’t over water, finish the irrigation cycle before 7 AM, and don’t water after sunset. Watch for signs of fungus in your yard. Fungus will leave dead brown patches with some live grass in the brown. This differs from grub damage, as grubs will usually leave solid dead areas. Turf damage by insect or fungus at time will probably require verticutting and reseeding in the fall. Don’t forget your annuals, they still need watering.
September
It’s time to start thinking about lawn renovations to maintain or restore the health of your lawn. The level of renovation will depend on the condition of your lawn. The minimum you need to keep your lawn healthy is fall core aeration. If your lawn has been stressed in general, you may need aeration and overseed to help it bounce back. If you have had damage to your lawn, from insect or disease, you will need the aeration, some verticutting to clear out the dead and a higher degree of overseeding. If you have developed a under layer of dead grass you will need overall aeration, verticutting and a heavy overseed.
October
We are now at the end of the regular season. It’s almost time for sprinkler winterization. You must call and make an appointment to get this done before we have freezing temperatures. If you need a lawn renovation involving any seeding, please get it scheduled before your irrigation is shut off. It is also time to start spring bulb installation. As long as you get them in before the ground freezes you will be okay, but the sooner the better. At time perennials should be cut back and cleaned up where needed. Dead plant material will become leaf traps and obstacles to leaf cleanup.
November
It’s cleanup time again. Fall perennial cleanup, and fall leaf cleanups should be well underway. All perennials should be cut back, and cleaned up for winter. All leaves should be removed from turf to avoid damage. Once we are consistently into near freezing temperatures roses should be mulched for protection where needed. Only minimally prune roses, just enough to prevent breakage from ice and snow during the winter. Finish the prune to the desired height in the spring, dependent on the variety of rose.
December
Landscape plants can still be planted as long as the ground has not frozen, and even then it may still be possible. Shrubs and trees, especially ones planted in the last year or sometimes two, still need water over the winter. If we have a dry winter it may be critical to the survival of the plant. Good watering practices can prevent damage from severe winter weather. It is also time to consider dormant pruning for overgrown shrubs. If you have had a chronic problem with insect infestations in trees and/or shrubs, you need to schedule a dormant oil application to all plants affected during the previous season.
