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Wayne Countryside
Garden Club

Wayne Countryside Garden Club

Wayne, Illinois  |  Since 1955
WAYNE, ILLINOIS - SINCE 1955

Monthly Gardening Tasks and Tips

Excerpted in part from Chicago Botanic Garden's "Monthly Gardening Checklists"
Seedlings And Tools
January
  • Apply a heavy layer of mulch to perennial beds once the top inch of soil freezes.
  • Wrap the trunks of young fruit trees to protect them from winter sunscald and rodents.
  • Drain and store all garden hoses and outdoor irrigation systems for the winter.
  • Map out community garden plots to ensure essential crop rotation for soil health.
  • Inventory remaining seeds and place orders early to secure the best varieties.
  • Check stored bulbs, tubers, and root vegetables for any signs of rot or stress.
February
  • Inspect winter wraps and screens on tender shrubs after high winds or heavy snows.
  • Sharpen, clean, and oil all hand tools and garden machinery for the coming spring.
  • Maintain a garden journal to review seasonal performance and begin planning next year.
  • Start slow-growing perennials and early spring cool-season crops indoors.
  • Prune dormant shade trees and summer-flowering shrubs before new growth begins.
  • Clean and sharpen pruning shears and saw blades in anticipation of spring work.
March
  • Rake away matted leaves from emerging perennials and bulbs once the soil is no longer saturated.
  • Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees and shrubs to control overwintering pests.
  • Start seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors under grow lights.
  • Clean out birdhouses and bat boxes to prepare for returning migratory species.
  • Test garden soil pH and nutrient levels before the spring planting rush begins.
  • Freeze-thaw-freeze cycles may cause some plants to heave from the ground over the winter. Gently press plants back with your hands or by stepping around the edges of the plant. Mulch plants with several inches of shredded material.
  • March is an ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs. Make sure garden tools are sharpened and you wear protective equipment. For larger trees and/or when pruning requires a chainsaw, you may wish to seek professional help from a certified arborist.  
  • Prune out sucker growth, water sprouts, and any diseased or dead branches. Remove crossing branches, rubbing branches, or those that grow toward the center of the plant rather than outward, away from the interior.
April
  • Plant cool-season crops like peas, spinach, lettuce, and radishes as soon as the soil can be worked.
  • Clear away dead perennial stems and decorative grasses left for winter interest.  
  • When grouping flowers, vegetables, and herbs in a single container, plants should have similar growing needs, e.g., shade plants, full-sun plants, drought-tolerant plants, etc.
  • Divide perennials when they are 4-6" tall.  This can increase stock for your yard while giving overgrown plant roots room to grow.
  • Divide and transplant summer and fall-blooming perennials such as hostas and daylilies.
  • Apply Preen to unplanted soil areas to prevent the seed germination of weeds.
  • Inspect the structural integrity of trellises, arbors, and raised bed frames.
  • Gradually harden off indoor-started seedlings by exposing them to outdoor conditions.
  • Direct sow seeds for cool season crops such as lettuces, peas and onions.
  • Remove spent flowers but leave foliage to wither completely before removing it. Leaving the foliage to continue to absorb sunlight provides much needed food/energy for the plant to bloom in the next season.
May
  • Begin to harden off warm-season transplants in a cold frame, or bring flats of small transplants outside to sunny, protected areas. Start with just an hour or two of sun and work up. Do this for successively longer periods of time, typically seven to 10 days, to acclimate them to the outdoors.
  • Transplant warm-season vegetables and annual flowers outdoors after the average last frost date (mid-May).
  • Plant summer-flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus, and cannas.
  • Prune spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, immediately after their blooms fade.
  • Stay vigilant for early-season pests like aphids and lily leaf beetles on new growth.
  • Mulch garden beds to suppress weeds and maintain soil moisture as temperatures rise. Be sure to keep mulch 6-8" AWAY from the root flare and trunk of the tree.  (Lookup and avoid "volcano mulching.")
  • Establish support structures for peas, beans, and peonies while plants are still small.
  • Try to have a water source (gentle drip, a birdbath, small fountain or pond) for migrating birds
  • Cage or provide support for peony blossoms when the plants are about 10 inches tall.
  • Spread several inches of aged compost on vegetable and herb beds, if you haven’t done so already. 
June
  • Deadhead spent blooms on perennials and annuals to encourage a second flush of flowers.
  • Monitor rainfall and provide supplemental deep watering during dry stretches.
  • Harvest early-season produce like strawberries, asparagus, and rhubarb regularly.
  • Thin out vegetable seedlings to recommended spacings to ensure adequate airflow and growth.
  • Watch for Japanese beetles and hand-pick them into soapy water to minimize damage.
  • Stake tall-growing perennials like delphiniums and lilies before heavy summer storms arrive.
  • Pinch back about 1/3 of new growth in the first month after planting annuals to encourage a stocky habit.
  • Feed annuals in pots, baskets, and window boxes with a diluted balanced fertilizer every seven to 10 days. Always water the plants before adding liquid fertilizer.
  • ​Pinch the top growth of herbs to encourage branching and keep them from flowering. Once an herb flowers, it begins going to seed; cutting the herb sprigs to delay flowering will extend their viability for cooking.
July
  • Consistently water newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials to help them survive summer heat.
  • Harvest raspberries, beans, cucumbers, and summer squash as they ripen to keep plants productive.
  • Remove and destroy any foliage showing signs of powdery mildew or early blight.
  • Provide shallow water sources and shade for beneficial insects and garden wildlife.
  • Sow seeds for a fall harvest of carrots, beets, and kale in cleared garden spaces.
  • Keep paths and borders clear of invasive weeds before they go to seed.
  • To promote a second, late-summer flower show, cut back, shear, or remove flower spikes from the following early-blooming perennials: perennial salvia (Salvia spp.), spike gayfeather (Liatris spicata), and tickseed (Coreopsis spp.).
  • Some perennials that tend to flop or grow too tall, such as Aster (Aster spp.), Phlox (Phlox spp.), and salvia (Salvia spp.), can be cut in half in late May or early June to regulate their height, but this practice should stop by early July to allow the plant to set buds and flower.
  • Seeds of perennials can be sown directly into the garden this month. Note their location to avoid accidental “weeding” next spring; golf tees can provide an unobtrusive reminder.
  • Tomatoes appreciate an even supply of moisture rather than a heavy soaking and then a drought. Straw mulch is helpful in these beds as well as containers.
  • If not done yet, renovate overgrown shrubs including forsythia (Forsythia spp.), lilac (Syringa spp.), and redtwig dogwood (Cornus alba) by removing one-third of the oldest canes.
  • ​Continue to deadhead roses by cutting blossoms back to the first set of five leaflets that points away from the center of the plant.
August
  • Deep-water garden beds early in the morning to minimize evaporation and fungal issues.
  • Established trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, and roses should receive 1 inch of water per week. If Mother Nature does not provide this amount, you will need to supplement. It is always better to deeply water the entire root zone of garden plants once each week, rather than watering shallowly several times per week.
  • Begin the main harvest of tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn at their peak ripeness.
  • Cut back leggy annuals and fertilize lightly to rejuvenate them for a fall display.
  • Order spring-flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils for fall planting.
  • Collect and dry herbs for winter use while their essential oils are most concentrated.
  • Take cuttings from favorite coleus or geraniums to overwinter indoors.
  • Continue to remove withered flowers (aka “deadhead”) of some annuals and perennials to encourage additional blooms and to keep plants looking their best. However, let certain dried flowerheads stand for fall and winter interest; good choices include astilbe (Astilbe), coneflower (Echinacea spp.), ornamental grasses, globe thistle (Echinops), and others.
  • In the first week of August, plant short-season broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, mustard greens, radishes, snap beans, and spinach for fall harvesting.

  • Continue to harvest herbs by snipping foliage. Pinch off developing flowers to retain essential oils and flavor in the plants’ foliage. (Hint: The flowers are edible, too, but may have a stronger flavor.)

  • Dry entire sprigs or plants, or freeze individual portions in ice-cube trays.

September
  • Plant new trees, shrubs, and perennials while the soil is warm to encourage root establishment.
  • Harvest pumpkins, winter squash, and potatoes once their vines have withered.
  • Dig up and divide overcrowded spring-blooming perennials like irises and peonies.
  • Aerate and overseed lawn areas to repair summer damage and improve turf density.
  • Bring houseplants and tender tropicals back indoors before overnight temperatures drop below 50°F.
  • Start a new compost pile with healthy garden debris and fallen leaves.
  • If you didn’t start a compost heap in the spring, September is a good time to make one. Begin to layer grass clippings, dried fallen leaves, soil, a handful of fertilizer, and a little moisture.
  • Remove spent blooms on perennials but do not cut them back until their leaves and stems have lost all green color.
  • Wait until trees and shrubs drop their leaves or undergo color change before planting them or digging and moving them to new sites. At that time, they are entering dormancy and will not suffer as much transplant shock.
  • ​Continue to water large trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, as well as plants that are 1 or 2 years old, until the ground freezes hard. 
October
  • Plant spring-flowering bulbs three times as deep as the bulb’s height for best results.
  • Remove spent vegetable plants and any diseased foliage to prevent disease carry-over.
  • Plant garlic cloves 4-6 inches apart and cover with a thick layer of straw mulch.
  • Continue watering evergreens until the ground freezes to prevent winter desiccation.
  • Clean out large decorative containers and store them in a protected area to prevent cracking.
  • Dig up tender tubers like dahlias and caladiums after the first frost blackens the foliage.
  • Excess fallen leaves can be shredded and kept aside to use as mulch for perennial and garden beds in November, after the ground has frozen hard. Mulch helps regulate soil temperatures and protects plants from extreme temperature swings.
  • Apply a slow-release bulb booster-type fertilizer into the top layer of soil above existing clumps of spring-blooming bulbs. This will help the bulbs produce vigorous growth next spring.
  • ​Continue to water trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, up until the ground freezes. Milder temperatures can fool gardeners into thinking woody plants don’t require as much moisture in fall as they do in summer.
November
  • Apply a final layer of mulch to tender perennials and rose bushes after the ground has frozen.
  • Protect young tree trunks with guards to prevent damage from hungry deer and voles.
  • Shut off outdoor water valves and drain irrigation systems to prevent burst pipes.
  • Clean, oil, and properly store all remaining garden power equipment for the season.
  • Rake leaves off the lawn but consider leaving them in garden beds as natural winter insulation.
  • Empty and clean bird feeders, then stock them with high-energy suet and seed.
  • Remember: After you rake all those fallen autumn leaves, put them to work! Shredded leaves can play many important roles—helping insects overwinter, feeding the soil, and/or enriching a compost pile.
  • ​With the outdoor growing season coming to an end this month, it’s a great time to inspect your tools and supplies, and protect them from the harsh winter weather.
December
  • Review your garden journal and photos to identify successes and areas for improvement.
  • Browse seed catalogs and sketch out next year’s garden layout and crop rotations.
  • Inspect houseplants for spider mites or scale, which thrive in dry indoor winter air.
  • Gently brush heavy snow off the branches of valuable evergreens and shrubs.
  • Check stored produce and bulbs periodically and discard any showing signs of decay.
  • Reflect on the past season and enjoy a well-deserved rest from active field work.
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