GreenScapes Seasonal Planner
£P^GreenScapes
'l^^p' Environmentally Beneficial Landscaping
March April May
Flower and Vegetable Gardens
June July August
Flower and Vegetable Gardens
ft Prepare new planting
beds and gardens by
mixing in one to three
inches of compost.
ft Pull weeds when they first
start growing, while soil is
moist and roots are short,
before they go to seed.
ft Buy plants that resist
disease and use less water.
ft Mulch flower and vegetable
beds with compost or grass
clippings to conserve water
and control weeds.
ft Use fabric row covers to
keep pests off sensitive
vegetables.
ft Identify bugs before you
spray, squash or stomp—
they may be "good bugs"
that eat pests.
Tree and Shrub Beds
Tree and Shrub Beds
ft Prepare new tree and shrub beds by mixing compost
into the entire bed (not just planting holes).
ft Mulch shrub and tree beds with shredded wood, leaves or bark
once a year to conserve water, reduce weeds and feed the soil.
ft Start mowing, about three
inches high for most lawns in
northern states; two inches
for lawns in southern states.
"Grasscycle"—leave the
clippings for free fertilizer.
ft Check soil moisture at plant
roots before watering-don't
water until they need it.
Lawns
ft For lawns in poor condition:
aerate, overseed and top-
dress with a quarter-inch to
half-inch of compost.
Watering
Lay out soaker hoses
in beds and cover with
mulch.
Composting
ft Harvest compost from your bin. Throw any uncomposted
sticks or stalks back in for another cycle.
ft Fertilize lawns if needed in
May with "natural organic"
or "slow-release" fertilizer.
ft Mow regularly, and leave the
clippings on the lawn.
Prepare sprinkler systems
by testing, adjusting and
repairing leaks.
ft Water at dawn to
reduce evaporation.
Lawns
ft Keep mower blades sharp
to reduce lawn damage and
brown tips.
Watering
ft Water lawns one inch per
week, if no rain, or let go
brown and dormant (but
water enough to moisten
root zone once a month).
Composting
ft Add yard debris to compost pile; water pile to keep it moist.
Place pile in shade or cover to hold moisture.
ft Consider saving water by
letting some lawn areas
(ones that don't get heavy
traffic) go brown and
dormant until fall.
ft Start and re-check watering
systems, and adjust for
weather. (Don't water when
it rains).
Let nature do the work. Incorporate greenscaping practices into your lawn and garden care.
Learn more at www.epa.gov/greenscapes
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GreenScapes Seasonal Planner
£P^GreenScapes
'l^^p' Environmentally Beneficial Landscaping
ieptember October November
Flower and Vegetable Gardens
ft Pull emerging weeds in
beds when ground is moist
and before they develop
deep roots.
ft Mulch garden beds with
leaves or compost to reduce
winter weeds and feed the
soil. Or plant winter cover
crops in open beds.
ft Prepare new planting areas
by digging in compost.
Tree and Shrub Beds
ft Mulch tree and shrub beds
with leaves, shredded wood
or bark.
ft Improve thin areas of lawn
in September-October by
aerating, overseeding and
top-dressing with compost.
ft Reduce watering during
cooler weather.
Lawns
ft Fertilize lawns with "natural
organic" or "slow-release"
fertilizer in September to
develop healthy roots and
crowd out weeds.
Watering
ft Shut off and drain
watering systems
if you expect a freeze.
Composting
ft Clear unwanted garden growth and compost it for spring.
Keep pile as moist as a wrung-out sponge.
ft Plant trees, shrubs and
many perennials in early
fall to give them a good
start.
ft Plant new lawns to give
them the best start before
next summer.
ft Put away exposed soaker
hoses, or re-cover with
mulch if left out.
A December January February
Flower and Vegetable Gardens
ft Rake winter leaf mulch
back onto beds if winds
blow it off.
ft Weed beds once during
winter to prevent weeds
going to seed.
Tree and Shrub Beds
ft Prune fruit trees and other woody trees and shrubs while they're dormant (December-February).
If you have questions, check with your local Cooperative Extension office or a nursery.
ft Tune up yard equipment;
sharpen mower blades.
Plan drip irrigation or
soaker hoses for beds and
container to conserve water.
Lawns
Winter is the time to
plan for spring.
Watering
ft Check storage areas for
unwanted chemicals, and
dispose safely. Call your local
solid waste agency for details.
Plan to replace plants that
have disease or pest problems.
Let nature do the work.
Composting
ft Continue to add fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds,
egg shells, nut shells, and house plant leaves and stalks from
inside your home to your compost pile year round.
For questions about lawn and garden care in your region, contact your local Cooperative Extension office by visiting www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension.
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