JANUARY
January 1 - Stake discarded Christmas trees for bird protection
January 2 - Cut branches of Christmas trees and lay on heaths and heathers for winter protection
January 3 - Make resolution to plant at least one more leafy green veggie in the garden
January 5 - Carefully check houseplants for insect or spider mites
January 6 - Inspect stored dahlias and cannas for mold. Dust with fungicide if present
January 15 - Check trees and shrubs for rabbit or deer damage. Apply tree guards or deer/rabbit repellent above freezing if found to prevent further damage.
January 18 - Apply cow manure to garden when soil is frozen
January 20 - Plan your vegetable or flower garden for this spring
January 26 - Sow geranium seeds
January 28 - Re-apply Wilt-Pruf to broadleaf evergreens during a thaw
FEBRUARY
February 9 - Bring in pots of holland bulbs from cold storage
February 10 - Last day to plant any unplanted spring flowering bulbs
February 15 - Average temperatures begin to rise
February 16 - Check trees and shrubs for rabbit or deer damage. Spray with hot sauce and Wilt-Pruf during a thaw if present.
February 17 - Re-spray broadleaf weeds with Wilt-Pruf (or similar) during a thaw
February 19 - Watch for robins eating crabapple fruits
February 21 - Re-spray deer repellent on plants susceptible to rabbit damage when above freezing
February 23 - Remove 2-year-old wood from raspberries
February 24 - Trim fruit trees and/or grapes when above freezing
February 26 - Over-seed lawn when snow is gone but ground is still frozen
February 28 - Order locally grown bare root fruit trees and other small fruits for late March planting
MARCH
March 1 - Start peppers from seed
March 2 - Spread manure and/or compost on garden when ground is frozen
March 3 - Watch for Eastern bluebird return
March 5 - Take a soil test in your lawn and/or garden
March 6 - Order locally grown bare root fruit trees from Dayton's
March 7 - Over-seed your lawn when ground is frozen without snow
March 8 - Apply dormant oil to trees and shrubs when above freezing for 24 hours
March 9 - Trim back heathers (calluna) to shape
March 10 - Rake out any evidence of snow mold on your lawn
March 14 - Transplant trees and shrubs now except for dogwood, magnolia and fragrant viburnum
March 15 - Apply lime to lawn or garden if necessary
March 16 - Cut out all dead wood from roses and trim to shape
March 17 - Remove straw from strawberries
March 18 - Start dahlia, begonia tubers and cannas indoors for planting in May
March 22 - Trim type "C" Clematis to the ground
March 23 - Remove tree guards and wind screens
March 24 - Check out Dayton's weekly blogs for more gardening information
March 25 - Plant onion sets, peas, lettuce and seed potatoes
March 26 - Plant bare root conifers, trees, shrubs and fruits if weather allows
March 28 - Fertilize blueberries with Holly-tone
March 29 - Cut back ornamental grasses and dead tops of perennials such as mums
March 30 - Fertilize small fruits, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
March 31 - Plant pansies and violas for cool weather flowers
APRIL
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April 1 - Trim summer flowering shrubs such as rose of sharon and spirea
April 2 - Fertilize trees and shrubs if not done yet
April 3 - Apply aluminum sulfate to turn hydrangeas blue (H. macrophylla group)
April 4 - Divide pereninals.
April 5 - Re-pot tropical plants if needed.
April 6 - Start tomatoes from seed
April 8 - Apply Bonide's Rose Shield or Dr. Earth Rose & Flower
April 9 - Apply Greenview's crabgrass preventer plus fertilizer. Apply Greenview's crabgrass preventer and seed starter if you plan to over-seed or seed your lawn.
April 11 - Spray emerging tulips with a deer repellent to prevent chewing by ground hogs
April 12 - Transplant dormant dogwoods, magnolia, fragrant viburnum and hemlocks
April 13 - Apply Preen to landscape beds if not done yet. Plant pansies.
April 14 - Apply Speed Zone to lawn to control unwanted weeds
April 15 - Hundreds of creeping phlox begin to bloom in Wolf Creek Garden
April 17 - Plant blueberries for fruit and landscape beauty
April 18 - Plant cold hardy veggies such as cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli
April 19 -Install a peony ring to garden peonies now before growth continues
April 20 - Top dress perennial beds with a thin layer of Sweet Peet
April 21 -Plant first batch of sweet corn and beans as long as weather permits
April 22 - Plant trees and shrubs
April 23 - Till in Sweet Peet for new garden beds or mulch with Sweet Peet for existing beds
April 24 - Start spraying roses with Neem Oil & Bi-Carb to keep blackspot and insects at bay
April 25 - Last day to plant bare root trees, shrubs and fruits
April 26 - Apply a thin layer of mulch to landscape beds after edging
April 27 - Start harvesting rhubarb by pulling off stalks
MAY
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May 1 - Spray Dogwoods and large-leaf Rhododendrons with Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew for borers
May 2 - Plant gladiolus corms every 2 weeks until July 4th for continuous bloom
May 3 - Till under "green manure" crops that were planted in fall
May 4 - Watch weather to prevent frost damage by blooming azaleas
May 5 - Azaleas and tulips by the thousands in peak bloom at Dayton's
May 6 - Tour Dayton's Rhododendron & Azalea allee in Wolf Creek Botanical Garden
May 7 - Check out Dayton's for a lasting, loving gift Mom will LOVE!
May 8 - Plant garden mum starts now for better winter survival
May 9 - Watch for hummingbird return
May 10 - Trim back Heaths (Erica) to shape
May 11 - Spray Dogwoods & large-leaf Rhododendrons with Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew for borers
May 12 - Plant second batch of peas, sweet corn and beans for continuous harvest
May 13 - Apply Preen weed preventer after planting annuals, then water in
May 14 - Select annual flowers and vegetable plants
May 15 - Rhododendron catawbiense hybrids in peak bloom. Tour our planting in the botanical garden.
May 16 - Plant potatoes for winter storage purposes
May 17 - Move tropical plants outside during a cloudy period to prevent foliage burn
May 18 - Plant garden with heat-loving vegetables and any remaining cool veggies
May 19 - Start spraying acephate on susceptible shrubs to kill bagworm larvae
May 20 - Plant frost sensitive plants such as tomatoes and peppers
May 21 - Hill up first batch of potatoes when bloom appears
May 22 - Mountain laurels and deciduous azaleas in peak bloom at the nursery
May 23 - Spray dogwoods and large-leaf rhododendrons with Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew for borer control
May 25 - Apply weed and feed to your lawn as directed
May 26 - Watch sawfly on mugho pines. Use almost any insecticide for control.
May 27 - Begin spraying cucumber, squash and melons with bi-carb for mildew
May 29 - Spray roses with Rose Shield for rose slug control
May 30 - Last official frost-free date for Ohio
JUNE
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June 2 - Re-examine Arborvitaes, Spruce and Honey Locust for bagworm. Spray with acephate if caterpillars are present.
June 3 - Check pepper and tomato plants for cutworms
June 4 - Apply Rose Shield for lacebug on Azalea and small-leaf Rhododendron
June 5 - Trim spring flowering plants as they finish up blooming
June 6 - Deadhead May blooming Rhododendrons
June 7 - Trim and de-sucker indeterminate tomatoes
June 8 - Fertilize again with Plant-tone or Holly-tone
June 9 - Trim Mountain Laurels to shape
June 10 - Start harvesting early strawberries
June 11 - Apply All Seasons Oil to Euonymus for scale
June 12 - Watch for potato beetles and hand harvest them for organic control
June 13 - Use Neem Oil for insect control on vegetable plants and herbs
June 14 - Peak bloom of Rhododendron maximum hybrids
June 15 - Spray all cucurbits with Neem Oil to kill leaf hoppers
June 16 - Check roses for mites to prevent rose virus spread
June 20 - Trim type "B" Clematis
June 21 - Trim evergreens and most deciduous shrubs to shape
June 22 - Spray BT for organic control of caterpillars on veggies, hollyhock and perennial hibiscus
June 26 - Marietta sweet corn and tomatoes usually ready. Please check for availability.
June 30 - Last day to plant tomato and pepper plants.
JULY
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July 1 - Plant last batch of beans, sweet corn, squash and cucumbers
July 2 - Trim back half of new growth on spruce to shape
July 3 - Start harvesting Duke & Earliblue blueberries
July 5 - Trim shrub roses after first bloom in June, then fertilizer
July 6 - Trim hanging baskets and combo pots, if needed
July 7 - Be sure to water newly planted shrubs during drought
July 8 - Protect blueberries from birds when they begin to ripen
July 10 - Carefully check dahlias and gladiolus for thrips. Spray with Spinosad if found.
July 11 - Apply grub control to lawn to prevent grubs
July 12 - Cut back mums now to increase branching and delayed bloom
July 13 - Start harvesting Jersey, Bluecrop & Berkley blueberries
July 14 - Spray tall Phlox with bi-carb to prevent mildew
July 16 - Harvest yellow transparent apples for applesauce
July 17 - Trim back half of new growth of pine to shape if not done yet
July 18 - Spray perennial hibiscus and hollyhock with BT for lepidoptera (caterpillar) control
July 19 - Seiberling sweet corn usually ready. Please check for availability.
July 20 - Take semi-hardwood cuttings of your favorite woody shrubs
July 21 - Fertilize, stir and water mulch to prevent shotgun fungus
July 22 - Trim climbing roses after first bloom has finished
July 23 - Deadhead spent flowers on Hydrangea macrophylla types
July 24 - Re-examine Arborvitae, Spruce, and Honey Locust for bagworm. Spray with acephate to stop caterpillars if found.
July 25 - Divide and re-plant German iris
AUGUST
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August 1 - Harvest elderberries and look up recipes for wine, pies and cobbler
August 2 - Deadhead annuals & perennials
August 3 - Plant late crops of turnips, carrots and beets
August 4 - Deadhead Endless Summer Hydrangea series to keep them blooming
August 5 - Freeze or can fruits and veggies
August 6 - Trim half of new growrth of pines, if necessary, to shape if not done in late July
August 7 - Apply Rose Shield for lacebug on Azalea and small-leaf Rhododendron
August 8 - Stir and water mulch again to prevent shotgun fungus
August 9 - Collect seeds and take cuttings
August 10 - Transplant Oriental poppies while they're dormant
August 12 - Start dividing and transplanting daylilies and hostas after cutting back
August 18 - Kill invasive grass and weeds in lawn now to re-seed in September
August 22 - Start planting fall mums
August 28 - Gradually move houseplants into a shadier spot to acclimate them to the indoors
SEPTEMBER
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September 3 - Watch lawns for grub damage with sample diggings
September 6 - Check out Dayton's large display of mums and perennial asters
September 7 - Time to can pears, peaches, tomatoes and peppers
September 8 - Divide and re-plant Hostas and Daylilies if not done yet
September 9 - Apply grub control if grubs appear. Be sure to water in well.
September 11 - Apply a winter fertilizer to lawn that is high in potassium
September 12 - Start harvesting apples
September 13 - Plant trees and shrubs for maximum root growth
September 14 - Plant Igloo mums
September 15 - Thatch lawn if necessary and over-seed immediately afterwards
September 17 - Seed a new lawn or over-seed an existing lawn
September 18 - Plant green manure crops to improve tilth of garden soil
September 19 - Treat lawn for rust if occurs, treat with Bayleton
September 22 - Harvest winter potato crop storage
September 25 - Start feeding houseplants with low ammonium nitrogen fertilizer
September 26 - Finish harvesting Elliot blueberries
OCTOBER
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October 1 - Plant your favorite tree in order to establish before spring
October 3 - Stop watering Christmas Cactus for 30 days for better bud set
October 4 - Spray foliage plants with insecticide before bringing indoors
October 5 - Ohio's state apple Melrose has ripeneed
October 8 - Rake debris away from German Iris to lessen destructive borers
October 10 - Cut back foliage to 3" on German Iris
October 11 - Pot up Holland Bulbs for indoor forcing
October 12 - Dig & store tender bulbs and tubers after a hard frost
October 13 - Re-pot stored Amaryllis bulbs for Christmas bloom
October 15 - Plant Holland bulbs for spring blooms
October 16 - Apply Plant-tone or Holly-tone for fall feeding
October 18 - Usual peak of fall foliage color in NE Ohio
October 19 - Fertilize large trees with a granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10
October 20 - Take lawn or garden soil test and bring results to Dayton's for analysis
October 25 - Dig and store dahlias and cannas after a hard frost
October 26 - Transplant most trees and shrubs
October 27 - Apply second application of fall lawn fertilizer for an early spring green-up
NOVEMBER
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November 2 - Add leaves to garden to till under in spring or compost them to add in spring
November 3 - Start watering Christmas cactus to promote bloom
November 4 - Dig late crop potatoes for winter storage
November 6 - Lime lawn or garden, if needed, per soil test
November 8 - Apply Preen to prevent winter weeds such as chickweed
November 10 - Order cemetery blankets for placement by Thanksgiving
November 12 - Mulch late crop carrots, turnips & parsnips with straw
November 13 - Cut roses back to 2 feet to prevent wind whipping
November 15 - Spray plants with Wilt-Pruf, or similar, to prevent wind burn or erect burlap wind screens
November 16 - Apply gypsum to lawn areas susceptible to road salt damage
November 17 - Apply deer repellent to vulnerable trees/shrubs to prevent deer damage
November 18 - Cover tea and floribunda roses with 1 foot of mulch for winter protection
November 21 - Harvest greens, turnips, parsnips and carrots for Thanksgiving dinner
November 22 - Poinsettias from back grenhouse available (tentative)
November 23 -Christmas trees arrive (tentative)
November 25 - Tag your Christmas tree now for later pick up or delivery
November 30 - Fuchsia, New Guinea Impatiens and Geranium cuttings arrive from Guatamala
DECEMBER
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December 3 – Add a colorful poinsettia to your home
December 4 – Apply second application of Liquid Fence to keep deer at bay
December 11 – Protect trunks of young trees from rabbit damage
December 13 – Plant unplanted Holland bulbs before February 15th
December 14 – Enjoy birds feeding on trees, shrubs, fruits and berries
December 22 – Day length begins to grow longer
December 28 – Check out our winter seminar schedule
December 29/30/31 – Nursery closes for season, depending on date