Today in the Garden

Walter Reeve's Garden Calendar

FIRST WEEK

Fertilize pansies. Since the soil is warming, use any water soluble houseplant fertilizer, one half pint to one pint of solution per plant. see Success With Pansies

Cut most of the green foliage off of tattered liriope. A mower, set to its highest setting, is the best tool for large areas.

If you haven’t spread lime on your lawn in a year, it’s time once again. Use 40 pounds per 1000 square feet.

Start seed of tomatoes and annual flowers indoors. You’ll need six weeks to grow strong transplants. see Starting Plants from Seed

SECOND WEEK

Prune boxwood – but not with shears. Use a hand pruner to make foliage “holes” in the greenery so light can penetrate to the trunk.

Spray a fungicide (Captan, etc.) on apple and peach trees while the blooms are on the tree. see Fruit Spray Guide

Now is the time to prune giant holly shrubs back to a manageable size. Don’t be shy – you can cut them to eighteen inches tall and they will come back.

Plant bare-root roses in soil that contains plenty of organic matter and which has been thoroughly tilled. see Buying and Planting Roses

THIRD WEEK

Plant beets, cauliflower, mustard, radish and turnips in your garden. see Vegetable Articles

Planting fescue now? You can’t use a pre-emergent weed preventer for six weeks after seeding.

Divide overgrown clumps of hosta now that you can see the leaves unfurling aboveground. see Propagating Hosta from Seed

Fertilize pecan trees with one pound of 10-10-10 for every inch of trunk thickness. see Fertilizing Pecan

FOURTH WEEK

Examine the backside of euonymus and camellia leaves for scale insects. Thoroughly spray with horticultural oil if the pests are found. see Euonymus Scale Control

Remove spent camellia blooms from the bush and from the ground. You’ll prevent camellia petal blight.

Last chance to prune bush roses to approximately one half their present size.

Repot houseplants you plan to move outdoors. Their roots will need more room as they grow rapidly in the sun. see Growing Indoor Plants with Success

Wait to plant gladiolus, canna and caladium bulbs until mid-April – they all need warm soil in which to grow.

FIFTH WEEK

Building near a tree? Be careful – ninety percent of the tree’s roots are in the top twelve inches of soil.

Forsythia, quince and winter honeysuckle can be pruned to a smaller size after flowering.

Fertilize shrubs: 1 tablespoon of 10-10-10 (or shrub fertilizer) per foot of height.

Sharpen your mower blade or replace it with a new one.

For more information, contact: rose@DunwoodyGardenClub.com