January
- Plant bare root trees, shrubs, roses, strawberries.
- Prune roses, fruit trees, summer-flowering shrubs and vines.
(Prune shrubs and vines that bloom in early spring -
such as lilacs and some clematis - immediately after bloom.)
-
Spray fruit trees and roses with dormant oil spray.
Spray after pruning, before buds start to open.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
February
-
Complete pruning and spraying (see January). Spray for peach leaf curl.
-
Plant early cool season vegetables: salad greens, peas, spinach, Swiss chard,
broccoli, cauliflower. Start seedlings in flats in a greenhouse or indoors,
under lights.
-
Finish cutting back and cleaning up perennials (see November).
-
Apply fungicide to fruit trees during bloom period.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
March
-
Start to fertilize fruit trees and ornamentals. Either
apply a slow-release fertilizer or fertilize on a monthly basis until late summer.
-
Plant cool season vegetables: salad greens, peas, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli,
cauliflower, potatoes.
-
Plant perennials and early annual flowers.
-
Start seedlings of warm season vegetables in greenhouse or indoors, under lights.
Allow six to eight weeks for seedlings to be ready to set out in the garden. Don’t
set out warm season vegetables until after the last frost (see
April).
Choose Month |
Top of Page
April
-
The average last frost date is April 1 (may have frost as late as early May).
-
In warmer areas, plant set out warm season vegetables: Set out seedlings of
tomatoes, peppers, eggplant; direct seed squash, beans, corn. Wait until the
soil is warm and all danger of frost is past.
- Plant perennials, annual flowers, summer-flowering bulbs.
- Apply mulch to keep down weeds.
- Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines after flowering.
- Start irrigation when the rains end.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
May
- Set out and direct seed warm season vegetables (see April).
- Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines after flowering.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
June
- Prune trees and shrubs. To limit growth, prune in summer;
to encourage growth, prune in winter.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
July
- Deadhead roses and other flowers to encourage more blooms.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
August
- Start seedlings for fall and winter vegetables.
- Deadhead roses and other flowers to encourage more blooms.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
September
- After harvest, clean up fallen fruit and feed fruit trees.
- Deadhead roses and other flowers to encourage more blooms.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
October
- Start cutting back and cleaning up perennials that have finished
flowering.
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs.
- Plant trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials.
Fall is an especially good time to plant natives and other plants
that are adapted to dry summers. Be sure to irrigate these plants
in summer for a year or so, until they are established.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
November
- The average first frost date is November 15 (may have frost as soon as
mid-October).
- In frosty areas, protect tender plants such as citrus.
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs.
- Continue cutting back and cleaning up perennials that are finished flowering.
- Spray fruit trees with fungicides.
Spray for peach leaf curl, brown rot.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
December
- In frosty areas, protect tender plants such as citrus.
- Start pruning roses, fruit trees, summer-flowering shrubs and
vines.
Choose Month |
Top of Page
|
A month by month checklist
Sonoma County Garden Calendar