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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