This month
Oct in Zone 3b
Plant
- Finish planting spring bulbs by month's end
- Plant garlic 6 weeks before ground freezes
Prep & soil
- Dig and store dahlia, canna, and gladiolus tubers after first frost blackens foliage
- Mulch newly planted perennials and shrubs after the ground freezes
Prune & maintain
- Cut back frost-killed perennial foliage
- Remove and destroy diseased plant debris (don't compost)
Indoor
- Move overwintering houseplants and tropicals to bright indoor spots
Jan
Plant
- Nothing outdoors yet
- Browse seed catalogs and finalize orders
- Force paperwhite or amaryllis bulbs indoors for color
Prep & soil
- Inventory and clean seed-starting supplies
- Sharpen and oil pruning tools
- Check stored dahlia and canna tubers for rot
Prune & maintain
- Knock heavy snow off evergreen branches
- Avoid pruning in deep cold (below 20°F damages tissue)
Indoor
- Order seeds for early starts (onions, leeks, perennials)
Feb
Plant
- Still too cold to direct sow anything outside
Prep & soil
- Test soil pH on stored samples or send out for analysis
- Check overwintering containers for snow load
Prune & maintain
- Prune apple and pear trees on a mild day
- Cut back ornamental grasses if not done in fall
Indoor
- Start onions, leeks, and slow perennials (lavender, salvia) under lights
- Start pansies for early spring color
Mar
Plant
- Still too early for direct sowing in most years
Prep & soil
- Top-dress garden beds with compost when ground thaws
- Pull mulch back from emerging bulb foliage
Prune & maintain
- Prune dormant fruit trees, summer-blooming shrubs, and roses before bud break
- Cut back perennial debris left for winter interest
Indoor
- Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant 8-10 weeks before last frost
- Start cool-season annuals (snapdragons, calendula)
Apr
Plant
- Plant pansies, violas, and primroses outdoors when nighttime temps stay above 25°F
- Direct sow peas as soon as soil can be worked
- Plant bare-root roses and shrubs
Prep & soil
- Apply pre-emergent for crabgrass when forsythia blooms
- Pull spring weeds before they seed
Prune & maintain
- Finish pruning roses and summer-blooming shrubs
- Do NOT prune spring-blooming shrubs (lilac, forsythia) until after they bloom
Indoor
- Start cucumbers, squash, and melons 3-4 weeks before transplant date
- Harden off cool-season transplants
May
Plant
- Direct sow lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots in early May
- Plant cold-tolerant perennials and shrubs
- Wait until late May or after last frost (~May 25-Jun 5) to plant warm-season annuals
Prep & soil
- Mulch perennial beds 2-3 inches deep after soil warms
- Side-dress emerging perennials with compost
Prune & maintain
- Prune spring bloomers (lilac, forsythia, azalea) immediately after flowering
- Pinch back mums and asters for bushier fall growth
Indoor
- Harden off all warm-season starts for 7-10 days before transplant
Jun
Plant
- Direct sow beans, corn, and squash after soil reaches 60°F
- Transplant tomatoes, peppers, and basil after last frost is confirmed
- Plant dahlias, gladiolus, and tender bulbs
Prep & soil
- Stake tall perennials before they flop
- Set up drip irrigation or soaker hoses
Prune & maintain
- Deadhead spent bulb foliage only after it yellows
- Pinch herbs for bushier growth
Indoor
- Wind down indoor seed-starting
Jul
Plant
- Sow a second round of bush beans and lettuce (heat-tolerant varieties)
- Direct sow fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) by mid-July
Prep & soil
- Water deeply 1-2 inches per week, early morning preferred
- Side-dress heavy feeders with compost or balanced fertilizer
Prune & maintain
- Deadhead annuals and repeat-blooming perennials
- Cut back leggy salvia and catmint for a second flush
Indoor
- Start brassica seedlings for fall planting if you missed direct sowing
Aug
Plant
- Plant fall-blooming bulbs (autumn crocus, colchicum). Every part is highly poisonous to people and pets, and the corms can be mistaken for onions, so plant them where children and pets cannot dig them up
- Sow spinach, lettuce, and radishes for fall harvest
- Order spring-flowering bulbs for September planting
Prep & soil
- Keep watering during late-summer dry spells
- Stop fertilizing perennials and shrubs to let them harden off
Prune & maintain
- Stop pruning shrubs (new growth won't harden before frost)
- Deadhead repeat bloomers one last time
Indoor
- Take cuttings of tender perennials (geraniums, coleus) to overwinter
Sep
Plant
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs (daffodils, tulips, alliums) when soil cools below 60°F
- Plant trees and shrubs (best month for woody plants in cold zones)
- Divide and replant overgrown perennials
Prep & soil
- Bring in tender container plants before first frost (~Sep 5-10)
- Harvest and dry herbs before frost
Prune & maintain
- Cut back peonies, daylilies, and hostas after first hard frost. Daylilies are fatal to cats, every part of them, so keep the cut foliage where a cat cannot chew it
- Do NOT cut back roses or hydrangeas until spring
Indoor
- Pot up amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs for winter forcing
Oct (now)
Plant
- Finish planting spring bulbs by month's end
- Plant garlic 6 weeks before ground freezes
Prep & soil
- Dig and store dahlia, canna, and gladiolus tubers after first frost blackens foliage
- Mulch newly planted perennials and shrubs after the ground freezes
Prune & maintain
- Cut back frost-killed perennial foliage
- Remove and destroy diseased plant debris (don't compost)
Indoor
- Move overwintering houseplants and tropicals to bright indoor spots
Nov
Plant
- Last chance for garlic and bulbs if ground is still workable
Prep & soil
- Drain and store hoses and irrigation lines
- Wrap young trees with hardware cloth for rabbit protection
- Apply 4-inch winter mulch around perennials and roses
Prune & maintain
- Stop pruning. Wait until late winter for most woody plants
Indoor
- Inventory remaining seeds and supplies for next year
Dec
Plant
- Nothing to plant. Enjoy the rest
Prep & soil
- Knock heavy snow off shrubs to prevent breakage
- Check stored bulbs and tubers monthly
Prune & maintain
- Cut greens for holiday decorations from healthy evergreens
- Avoid pruning in deep cold
Indoor
- Plan next year's beds and order early-season seeds
