WGG Landscapes

Your garden needs care all through the year.

January

• Push the ground around plants as the frost may have lifte it.
• If ground is dry complete planting roses in the finer weather.
• Clean up your borders of all dead leaves and tops of plants.
• Dig over hard soils to be overweatherd
• Plan which seeds you want to plant for spring and dig over beds reserved for annuals
• For indoor colour, bring in your flowering bulbs
• Continue planting shrubs and trees
• Apply a nitrogenous fertiliser to fruit trees and bushes grown in grass
• Cover your vegetables to promote early growth
• Sharpen your cutting tools in readiness for the year ahead
• Wash and clean all seed trays and pots

Lawn Care for January
New and Established Lawns Ensure good drainage. Prepare top dressings for spring use. Continue aeration.

February

• Firm the ground around plants lifted by frost
• Clear remaining dead tops of plants
• Dress beds for annuals with bone-meal and sow indoors half-hardy annuals
• Protect your pool from ice and remove weeds from bog gardens
• Cut back overgrown hedges towards the end of the month
• Sow peas and beans, and start sprouting potatoes
• Plant out your containers with trees or shrubs

Lawn Care for February
New Lawns Continue to dig the spring seed beds
Established Lawns Aerate and scarify when dry.

March

• Prune your repeat-flowering roses and remove dead or frost damaged wood
• If weather is mild, plant out hardy seedlings, new plants and any plants needing a move
• If you have a pond, drain and replace about three-quarters of the water before any frog/toad spawn hatches
• Dead-head any bulbs as they fade Hard prune any old hedges
• Give the garden a complete weeding and general digging-over where needed
• Prune any fruit trees or bushes
• To grow a herb garden, prepare a seed bed and sow as soon as possible, also so the seeds for your vegetable garden

Lawn Care for March

New Lawns Rake and treat seed bed, and apply a pre-seeding fertiliser. Sow the lawn, and mow when it reaches about 6cm (3 inches).
Established Lawns Re-seed patchy areas & repair edges. Aerate (spike) the lawn & apply fertiliser. Cut when it reaches 4-6cm (2-3 inches)

April

• It's time to divide perennial such as hosta and liriope. 2-3 days before, water perennials well. Dig up the clump and pull apart with two spades. Cut through the roots cleanly with a knife making sure each division has at least one crown. Replant at the same depth.
• It is planting time for trees, shrubs, roses, strawberries and perennials. Get them while they're hot!
• Any containerised plants need plenty of fertiliser and frequent watering, especially during warm weather.
• Deadhead larger bulbs such as Tulips, narcissus, and Hyacinths. Be sure not to cut the foliage!
• As leaves emerge on trees and shrubs, check for aphids, spider mites, etc. and spray with Ortho Isotox or Orthene if needed.
• Azaleas, Pyracantha, Rhododendron, and Pieris must be sprayed to combat lacebug. Isotox is best - sprayed 3-4 times, 1 week apart.
• Fertilise bulbs again as they bloom. They are heavy feeders and another application will ensure nice blooms for next year.
• After the last chance of frost, (around mid April) you can start planting hardier annual. Fertilise with a bloom starter as you plant.

Lawn Care for April

New Lawns Mow at least once a week if necessary. Roll to firm turf or seedings if required.
Established Lawns Mow at least once a week, lowering the height at each successive cut, but do not cut shorter than 4-6 cm (2-3 inches). Aerate the lawn and scarify. Level any humps or troughs. Apply fertiliser if not fertilised with a slow release earlier.

May

• This is the prime planting month for just about anything! Lilies and other summer bulbs can be set out. Incorporate perennials into bulb beds for an interesting contrast such as Foxglove with Narcissus bulbs.
• Early flowering shrubs such Azaleas and Rhododendron should be pruned after blooming and can be fertilised at the same time.
• Fertilise and spray roses for insects and diseases staring this month. A continuous rose maintenance program throughout the summer will ensure a beautiful display all season long.
• In late May, after the soil temperature has warmed, plant summer blooming bulbs such as Caladiums, Gladiolus, Daylilies and Dahlias.
• Mulch flower beds, shrubs, and trees with a fresh cover.
• Instead of a daily sprinkle, water plants deep and slowly several times a week.
• Prepare beds for annuals by tilling and adding rich soil and compost.
• If you noticed holes eaten in your hosta leaves, the culprits are probably slugs. Use slug bait or pour beer in a jar lid to trap them and eliminate the problem.

Lawn Care for May

New Lawns Prepare any sites which for autumn sowing and leave rough for the summer.
Established Lawns Apply sulphate of ammonia. Continue regular mowing during the summer.

June

• Always let the foliage on spring bulbs wither naturally. This is vital for next year's display.
• Save yourself hours of future weeding by pulling the abundant weeds now before they go to seed.
• Prune evergreens such as Boxwoods, Camellia, Leucothe and Junipers.
• Deadhead all blooming plants to encourage new blooms.
• Japanese beetles will begin to emerge this month. Traps, repellent and Sevin dust should be close at hand.
• Make sure you keep fertiliser on all flowers in order to keep them healthy and looking their best throughout the summer months. If you chose to use a granular feed you may need to supplement with a liquid fertiliser on occasion.
• After the climbing roses bloom, be sure to prune them. Next year's blooms will be produced on this summer's new growth.
• If insects, such as ants, ticks, fleas, etc., are a problem in your lawn, use Diazinon or Dursban.
• Watch your watering in confined areas such as hanging baskets and container gardens. They tend to dry out fast on hot days.

Lawn Care for June

Established Lawns Continue to mow, allowing a little extra length in very dry/hot weather. Spike the lawn with a fork to improve drainage. Spray your lawn for weeds using a chemical or organic lawn-weed killer.

July

• Extend the blooming season of Crepe Myrtle, Rose of Sharon and Buddleia by cutting off spent blooms to invigorate them to form even more flowers.
• Be sure to water plants early in the morning so the foliage can dry off before the summer sun sets in.
• Pinch mums for the last time around the 4th of this month to ensure bushy plants this fall. Keep their height at about 12 inches.
• Continue rose spraying program and dead head any faded blooms.
• Scatter superphosphates around the base of Azaleas, Laurels, Rhododendrons and Pieris to pro- mote heavy flower bud formation this summer.
• Fertilise bedding plants one last time for a good boost of bloom on into autumn.

Lawn Care for July

New and Established Lawns Continue to mow, and water frequently in very dry/hot weather. Spike the lawn with a fork to improve drainage.

August

• Dead head flowers as they fade
• Give the garden a complete weeding and general digging-over where needed
• Plant out well-grown perennial seedlings in nursery beds
• Complete lifting bulbs
• Take root cuttings of shrubs
• Water containers daily
• Pick any ripe fruit
• Keep ponds aerated with adding fresh water from a hose
• Take cuttings for rooting over winter

Lawn Care for August

New Lawns Apply fertiliser to areas for new lawns. Leave for one week then sow.
Established Lawns Continue to mow, allowing a little extra length in very dry/hot weather. Spike the lawn with a fork to improve drainage. In excessive heat leave a very thin layer of short cuttings on the lawn as a sun shield.

September

• Continue dead-heading faded flowers
• Scatter wood ash or sulphate of potash on your rose beds and mix in
• Prune hardy herbaceous plants
• Remove fading annuals and plant hardy biennual varietys
• If you have fish, start feeding program for autumn
• Plant-out spring flowering bulbs
• Plant evergreen shrubs in the latter part of the month
• Continue to water the garden during dry spells

Lawn Care for September

New and Established Lawns Aerate, apply washed sharp sand or compost, and scarify or remove debris. Re-seed any patches. Apply fertiliser

October

• Conduct a through weeding at the start of the month to reduce work during the wet months to come
• Plant herbaceous perennials
• Remove any remaining annuals and plant out biennuals and hardy perennials raised from seed
• Thin out any dense patches of water plants in your pond and clean up any litter and leaves from the surface and bottom. Thin out oxygenating plants. Don't forget to place a net over the pool to protect from falling leaves.
• Spray cherries, peaches and nectarines
• Plant out winter and hardy spring vegetables
• Remove dead leaves, and remove any remaining annuals and summer bedding plants
• Dress borders with bone-meal
• Continue to weed and turn beds

Lawn Care for October

New Lawns Mow when 6cm (3 inches) high. Roll to firm seedlings.
Prepare any areas for turfing and fertilise. Lay turf and water regularly to prevent shrinkage.
Established Lawns Ensure adequate drainage. Aerate, scarify and treat with fertiliser. Lightly rake to remove fallen leaves.

November

• Finish weeding & turning beds and leave for weathering over winter
• Plant out hardy perrenial seedlings and dig over beds for next years annuals adding a mix of rotted manure
• Remove old leaves from your pond and thin out oxygenating plants
• Plant out any roses and mix in some bone-meal or peat to the surrounding soil
• Plant fruit trees and bushes, and prune established trees
• Firm down any newly planted plants which may have been lifted by frost
• Dress any heavy soil with lime
• Regularly rake and remove leaves and fallen debris from beds

Lawn Care for November

New Lawns Prepare sites for spring sowing.
Established Lawns Continue to aerate.. Apply fertiliser. Make final cut and service your equipment. Lightly rake to remove fallen leaves.

December

• Firm the ground around plants lifted by frost
• Dig over ground reserved for annuals next year
• If your pool ices over, create a hole in the ice to allow gasses to escape
• Spray your existing fruit trees when dormant and finish planting
• Protect your valuable trees and shrubs in harsh weather. Plant out new trees and shrubs in containers
• Protect dormant bulbous plants and autumn planted plants
• Ensure lagging is in place around outdoor pipes and fixtures
• Shake off and heavy falls of snow from hedges, shrubs and trees so that they are not weighed down

Lawn Care for December

New and Established Lawns Dig over any areas being left for spring laying