Seasonal Maintenance Guide
- Remove winter mulch and cut back perennials in early April
- Apply compost and organic fertilizer to planting beds
- Divide and transplant overgrown perennials before growth starts
- Plant summer annuals after last frost (mid to late May)
- Mulch beds with 2-3 inches of hardwood mulch
- Prune roses after forsythia blooms and remove winter damage
- Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage repeat flowering
- Water deeply during dry periods (1 inch per week)
- Monitor for Japanese beetles on roses and treat as needed
- Cut back delphiniums after first bloom for second flush
- Stake tall perennials before summer storms
- Watch for fungal diseases and ensure good air circulation
- Plant spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips in October
- Divide and transplant perennials in September for spring establishment
- Plant cool-season annuals like pansies and ornamental kale
- Continue deadheading until hard frost
- Leave seed heads on coneflowers and asters for birds
- Apply winter mulch after ground freezes
- Protect roses with mounded mulch or rose cones
- Plan next season and order seeds from catalogs
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs during dormancy
- Remove heavy snow from evergreen shrubs and structures
- Clean and sharpen garden tools
- Minimal garden activity during frozen months