This month
May in Zone 8a
Plant
- Last call for transplanting tomatoes (heat-set varieties only)
- Direct sow second succession of beans, corn, cucumbers
- Plant heat-tolerant herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano)
Prep & soil
- Deep watering 1-2 inches per week
- Mulch heavily as heat builds
Prune & maintain
- Pinch tomato suckers
- Light shaping of shrubs
Indoor
- Wind down indoor sowing
Jan
Plant
- Plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, and pecans
- Direct sow English peas late month
- Transplant cool-season annuals (pansies, snapdragons, dianthus)
Prep & soil
- Plan rotations and order seeds
- Apply dormant oil to fruit trees on a calm day
Prune & maintain
- Prune dormant fruit trees, grapes, muscadines, and roses
- Cut back ornamental grasses
Indoor
- Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant indoors 6 weeks before last frost (~mid-March)
Feb
Plant
- Direct sow lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, and onion sets
- Plant strawberries
- Last call for bare-root roses and fruit trees
Prep & soil
- Top-dress beds with compost
- Apply pre-emergent for crabgrass before soil hits 55°F
Prune & maintain
- Finish pruning roses, fruit trees, and summer-blooming shrubs
- Prune crepe myrtle lightly (no 'crepe murder')
Indoor
- Start cucumbers, squash, and melons late month
Mar
Plant
- After last frost (~Mar 15-25), transplant tomatoes, peppers, and basil
- Direct sow beans, corn, squash, and cucumbers
- Plant dahlias, gladiolus, and elephant ears
Prep & soil
- Mulch beds 2-3 inches
- Side-dress emerging perennials
Prune & maintain
- Prune spring bloomers IMMEDIATELY after flowering (azaleas, camellias, forsythia)
- Pinch mums for bushier growth
Indoor
- Harden off warm-season starts
Apr
Plant
- Plant heat-loving annuals and tropicals (lantana, pentas, vinca)
- Direct sow okra, southern peas, and sweet potatoes
- Plant container tropicals
Prep & soil
- Apply final mulch
- Set up drip irrigation
Prune & maintain
- Finish pruning spring bloomers
- Pinch herbs
Indoor
- Take cuttings of geraniums and coleus
May (now)
Plant
- Last call for transplanting tomatoes (heat-set varieties only)
- Direct sow second succession of beans, corn, cucumbers
- Plant heat-tolerant herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano)
Prep & soil
- Deep watering 1-2 inches per week
- Mulch heavily as heat builds
Prune & maintain
- Pinch tomato suckers
- Light shaping of shrubs
Indoor
- Wind down indoor sowing
Jun
Plant
- Plant heat lovers only (okra, southern peas, sweet potato slips)
- Switch to heat-tolerant flowers (zinnia, vinca, portulaca)
Prep & soil
- Deep weekly watering
- Top off mulch where it has thinned
Prune & maintain
- Deadhead repeat bloomers
- Stop pruning spring shrubs by month's end
Indoor
- Plan fall garden
Jul
Plant
- Direct sow second round of okra, southern peas, and sweet potatoes
- Heat is too much for most other planting
Prep & soil
- Water at first light to reduce evaporation
- Side-dress heavy feeders
Prune & maintain
- Cut back leggy summer annuals to refresh bloom
- Stop pruning trees and shrubs
Indoor
- Start fall tomatoes and brassicas indoors under shade cloth
Aug
Plant
- Start fall tomato transplants late month for fall harvest
- Sow brassicas, lettuce, and beets for fall when temps cool
Prep & soil
- Continue deep watering
- Stop fertilizing established perennials and shrubs
Prune & maintain
- Light deadheading only
- No structural pruning
Indoor
- Sow cool-season annuals (pansies, snapdragons) for fall planting
Sep
Plant
- Direct sow fall vegetables (lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage)
- Transplant fall tomatoes early in month
- Plant trees and shrubs as heat eases
Prep & soil
- Top-dress beds with compost
- Refresh mulch
Prune & maintain
- Light pruning resumes
- Cut back leggy perennials
Indoor
- Sow cool-season flowers for fall containers
Oct
Plant
- Plant cool-season annuals (pansies, violas, snapdragons, ornamental kale)
- Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials (best month here)
- Plant spring bulbs after pre-chilling tulips and hyacinths in fridge for 6-8 weeks
- Plant garlic
Prep & soil
- Mulch new plantings
- Wind down irrigation as rains return
Prune & maintain
- Cut back overgrown perennials
- Light shaping of shrubs
Indoor
- Bring tropical houseplants inside before first chill
Nov
Plant
- Plant pre-chilled spring bulbs by mid-month
- Plant pansies, violas, and dianthus for winter color
- Continue planting trees and shrubs
Prep & soil
- Apply 2-3 inch winter mulch
- Drain irrigation if hard freeze is forecast
Prune & maintain
- Begin dormant pruning late month (after leaf drop)
Indoor
- Pot amaryllis for holiday bloom
Dec
Plant
- Plant bare-root roses and fruit trees late month
- Last chance for pre-chilled bulbs
Prep & soil
- Cover tender plants ahead of hard freezes
- Apply dormant oil to fruit trees
Prune & maintain
- Prune dormant fruit trees, grapes, and roses
- Avoid pruning during freezes
Indoor
- Plan next year's vegetable rotations
