Star Gardens Nursery
21288 Washington St. P O Box 1429
Middletown, CA 95461
707-987-0998

Garden Check List

 

JANUARY:
  • Prune fruit trees and roses (if you have not already), shape young shade trees
  • Apply dormant sprays,
  • Cut back and/or divide perennials, cut back summer blooming shrubs, if needed
  • Get those spring blooming bulbs planted before it is too late.
  • Top dress trees with manure this month or next.
  • Plant bare root trees, grapes, berries etc.
  • Continue with True Blue on Hydrangeas.
  • Plant wildflowers.
  • For information on pruning trees go to davewilson.com or homeorchard.ucdavis.edu
FEBRUARY:
  • Plant bare root roses, trees, asparagus, onions, beets, carrots, kale, chard, broccoli, peas, spinach and other cool season veggies.
  • Plant hardy perennials and flowers like pansies and violas.
  • Feed asparagus, artichokes and strawberries.
  • Plant sweet peas.
  • Get young weeds now while easier to kill.
  • Apply dormant sprays before buds swell.
  • Start getting your beds ready for planting.
MARCH:
  • Seed indoors-tomatoes, basil, peppers, eggplant, lettuce, cilantro.
  • Towards the end of the month start cukes and squash.
  • Outdoors-Plant potatoes and other cool season veg.
  • Feed your blueberries with an acid food.
  • Continue to prepare your soil.
  • Top dress trees roses and shrubs with Firmulch.
  • Spray peaches and Nectarines with copper at 2/3 petal drop for peach leaf curl.
APRIL:
  • Feed everything the first of the month or at the end of last month. Plants put on their biggest growth spurt in spring.
  • A lot of things can be planted this month but remember to watch for frost and cover your tomatoes etc. if you have already planted. (Average last frost for us is May 1-15).
  • Protect the trunks of young trees with tree wrap or a slurry of lime or watered down interior latex paint.
  • Monitor for aphids and caterpillars. Use organic sprays if necessary. Never spray while beneficials are active. Do not spray fruit trees in bloom.
  • Plant summer blooming bulbs and petunias.
  • Monitor and spray for coddling moth on your apples at dime, nickle and quarter size.
MAY:
  • Plant frost tender summer annuals like zinnias, lobelia, impatiens, sunflowers, and marigolds.
  • Finish planting outside your tomatoes and squash.
  • Plant corn, beans, melons,basil and cukes.
  • Make sure your irrigation system is working properly.
  • Keep monitoring for insects.
  • Keep up on a feeding schedule.
  • Prune and shape spring blooming shrubs like lilacs, quince and forythia now and never after September or you will remove next years flowering wood.
JUNE:
  • Finish up your summer vegetable and annual planting along with perennials, trees and shrubs.
  • Hot days usually arrive by the end of the month. Make sure you are watering adequately. Deep soaks less often are better and make more drought tolerant plants by sending the roots deeper.
  • Mulch heavy.
  • Refresh spring pots with some nice summer blooming annuals and perennials.
  • Fertilize your citrus and apply a second feeding to acid loving shrubs like camellias and azaleas.
JULY:
  • Reap the benefits of your hard work.
  • If you have to spray make sure it is very early or late. Never spray while pollinators are active or if the temps are too hot.
  • Apply anti-transpirant to trees and shrubs to cut down on moisture loss.
  • Start summer pruning of fruit trees to keep fruit forming wood low and pickable. Be careful not to open any tree or shrub too much as the previously shaded area will burn.
AUGUST:
  • Time to start thinking about the winter garden. Start seeds indoors of the brassica family (kale, broccoli, cabbage, etc).
  • Feed roses, flowers, fruit trees, citrus and veggies now that the days are getting shorter and the sun is not as brutal.
  • Keep harvesting and dead heading your plants to keep them producing flowers.
SEPTEMBER:
  • Plant your winter garden including potatoes and onions this and next month. Get your plants established before the winter cold sets in and they can produce all winter.
  • Do one last feeding of your roses and flowers.
  • Watch for a re- hatch of aphids and other insects as the weather cools.
  • Spring blooming bulbs like daffodils and tulips should be at your nursery now.
  • Refresh your pots with winter color like cabbages and pansies.
  • Feed citrus, blueberries and other acid loving shrubs again.
OCTOBER:
  • Fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Take advantage of year end sales.
  • Seed out cover crop and keep thinking winter garden.
  • Fall clean-up includes pulling up the summer garden, cutting back perennials and leaf clean-up.
  • This is the month to 0-10-10 (bloom food) your fruit trees and spring blooming shrubs like lilacs.
NOVEMBER:
  • This is the month to do your first dormant spraying of your fruit trees and to apply True Blue to your hydrangeas if you want them to be blue.
  • Plant bulbs.
  • Divide perennials.
  • Water if needed.
  • Bring in your battery timers to protect from freezing. Empty your irrigation valves of water and shut off the system to prevent freeze damage.
DECEMBER:
  • Spray anti-transpirant on citrus and other cold sensitive plants like young oleander and olives.
  • Cover with frost cloth. The first bad cold snap usually happens early this month.
  • Start the pruning work.
  • Get ready for bare root season
  • Enjoy the holidays and the break.