Maintenance Calendar

For your convenience, here’s a handy calendar for organic landscape maintenance.

January

Watering Spot water dry areas.
Pest Control Apply horticultural oil for over wintering insects on tress and shrubs, check house plants for pests.
Pruning and Trimming Shade trees and summer flowering trees can be trimmed and pruned.
Fertilization Foliar feed all winter annuals with organic liquid fertilizer and microbes.
Planting Any horticultural plant can be transplanted, plant diantus, cabbage, and pansies.
Other Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done. Good month to take a soil sample if you had some problems with unknown causes last year.

February

Watering Water the landscape deeply every ten days.
Pest Control Apply horticultural oil for over wintering insects on trees and shrubs.
Pruning and Trimming Summer flowering trees and evergreens, this is the best time to prune all fruit and nut trees, prune roses around mid-month.
Fertilization Lava sand and other amendments.
Planting Any horticultural plant can be transplanted. Cool season annuals, separate crowded perennials.
Weeds Apply corn gluten meal to turf grass at 20-25 pounds per 1000 square feet.
Other Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

March

Watering As needed but no more than once every ten days.
Pest Control Check for pill bugs, snails, and slug (Use diatomaceous earth). Check for caterpillars (use Bacillus thuringiensis Bt).  Check for black spot and powdery mildew (use Bioform Liquid organic fertilizer with microbes).
Pruning and Trimming Evergreen shrubs, spring flowering shrubs after they have finished blooming.
Fertilization Fertilize the lawn and beds with dry organic fertilizer at 20lbs per 1000 Sq ft.  Spray the entire landscape with liquid organic fertilizer mixed with microbes.
Planting Just about any tree and shrub, tomatoes and other cool season vegetables, spring annuals such as Petunias.
Other Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

April

Mowing Mow weekly and let the clippings fall. Bag only if needed for weed control.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently.
Pruning and Trimming Only dead or diseased wood.
Fertilization Foliar spray only on shrubs and beds with liquid organic fertilizer and a biostimulant.
Planting Turf grass from sod, spring annuals, container grown roses, melons, okra, southern peas, corn, squash, beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.
Weeds Remove by hand and bag mower clippings.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

May

Mowing Mow weekly and let the clippings fall. Bag only if needed for weed control.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently.
Pruning and Trimming Only dead or diseased wood.
Fertilization Dry organic fertilizer in beds and on lawn.  Foliar spray on beds and lawn with liquid organic fertilizer and microbial solution.
Planting Lawn grass from seed or sod, summer annuals, cannas, caladiums, southern peas, okra, and melons.
Weeds Remove by hand and bag mower clippings.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

June

Mowing Mow weekly and let the clippings fall.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently.
Pruning and Trimming Only dead or diseased wood.
Fertilization Turf fertilizer in beds and lawn if not done in May. Foliar spray on beds and lawn with liquid organic fertilizer and a biostimulant.
Planting All warm season grass from seed or sod, summer annuals, Crepe Myrtles, fall tomatoes.
Weeds Remove by hand.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

July

Planting Summer annuals, Moss Rose, Periwinkles, etc. Any container grown plants, Bermuda seed and other warm season lawn grass.
Fertilization Spread dry organic fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer on entire landscape.
Pruning and Trimming Dead or diseased limbs including roses.  Remove all spent perennial blooms.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently (1 to 2 times per week as needed).  Annuals as needed.
Pest Control Fire ants: mound drench with EcoExempt IC and spread Extinguish over the entire property.  Fleas/Ticks/Chiggers: EcoExempt IC sprayed on infested areas.  Brown Patch: Top dress with compost and spray a heavy dose of microbes and organic liquid fertilizer.
Weeds Spray with Weed Eraser or straight 20% Vinegar.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

August

Planting Warm season grasses from seed or sod. Container grown shrubs.
Fertilization Spread organic solid pellets and liquid organic fertilizer on entire landscape.
Pruning and Trimming Dead or diseased limbs including roses.  Remove all spent perennial blooms.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently (1 to 2 times per week as needed).  Annuals as needed.
Pest Control Fire ants: mound drench with EcoExempt IC and spread Extinguish over the entire property.  Fleas/Ticks/Chiggers: EcoExempt IC sprayed on infested areas.  Brown Patch: Top dress with compost and spray a heavy dose of microbes and Bioform Liquid.
Weeds Spray with Weed Eraser or straight 20% Vinegar.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

September

Planting Warm season grasses by sod only. Container grown shrubs.  Cool season grass seed.  Perennials.
Pruning and Trimming Dead or diseased limbs including roses.  Remove all spent perennial blooms.  Remove surface tree roots if necessary.
Watering Water deeply and infrequently (1 to 2 times per week as needed).  Annuals as needed.
Pest Control Fire ants: mound drench with EcoExempt IC and spread Extinguish over the entire property.  Fleas/Ticks/Chiggers: EcoExempt IC sprayed on infested areas.  Brown Patch: Top dress with compost and spray a heavy dose of microbes and Bioform Liquid.
Weeds Spray with Weed Eraser or straight 20% Vinegar. Apply corn gluten meal to turf grass at 20-25 pounds per 1000 square feet.
Fertilization Apply Lava Sand and Soil Amendments.  Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bare soil if not already done.

October

Planting Winter annuals and cool season grasses.
Fertilization

 

Dry organic fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer on entire landscape. Very Important!
Pruning and Trimming Prune shrubs and remove dead and diseased wood from trees.
Watering Water entire landscape once every two weeks if no rain.  Annuals every few days.
Pest Control Brown Patch in St. Augustine: compost and back off watering.  Spider Mites, scale, aphids, grub worms in the lawn: Call us for a professional diagnosis.
Weeds Apply corn gluten meal to turf grass at 20-25 pounds per 1000 square feet.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bedding areas and bare soil before the first freeze.

November

Planting Trees and large shrubs, cool season grasses, and spring flower perennials.
Fertilization Dry organic fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer on annuals, cool season grass with corn gluten meal.
Pruning and Trimming Begin major tree pruning after first good freeze, pick prune shrubs as needed.
Watering Once if no rain, annuals as needed.
Pest Control Spider Mites, scale, aphids, grub worms in the lawn: Call us for a professional diagnosis.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bedding areas and bare soil before the first freeze.

December

Planting Trees and shrubs.
Pruning and Trimming Evergreens for aesthetics, fruit trees prior to bud break.
Watering Once if no rain, annuals as needed.
Pest Control Henbit, clover, and wildflowers: we recommend leaving them alone or plant rye in October to prevent.
Mulch Add cedar or hardwood mulch to bedding areas and bare soil before the first freeze.