Seasonal Maintenance Guide
- Cut back ornamental grasses and perennials in early March
- Apply compost and organic fertilizer to planting beds
- Divide and transplant overgrown perennials before heat arrives
- Plant summer annuals after last frost (mid-March in south, early April in north)
- Mulch beds heavily with 3 inches of pine bark or hardwood mulch
- Prune roses after forsythia blooms and remove winter damage
- Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage continued flowering
- Water deeply 1-2 times weekly during hot, dry periods
- Monitor for fungal diseases and treat promptly in humid conditions
- Cut back leggy perennials in mid-summer for fresh fall growth
- Provide afternoon shade cloth for heat-sensitive plants
- Stake tall perennials before summer thunderstorms
- Best planting season in Georgia - add new perennials and roses
- Plant spring bulbs in November after soil cools
- Divide crowded perennials in September-October
- Plant cool-season annuals like pansies in October
- Continue deadheading through fall for extended blooms
- Reduce watering as temperatures cool
- Enjoy winter-blooming pansies and camellias
- Plan next season and order plants from southern nurseries
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs while dormant
- Protect tender plants in mountain regions during hard freezes
- Clean and sharpen garden tools
- Light maintenance during mild winter days