January-February

Spread pre-emergent crabgrass preventer on lawns. If you had crabgrass, goosegrass, foxtail or barnyard grass in your lawn last year, rest assured that there are thousands of seeds patiently snuggled down out there, just waiting for warm spring weather. The solution: pre-emergent herbicides, which kill those seeds before they get a chance to sprout. We've got a great type of Crabgrass preventer this year. It contains Barricade herbicide and will feed your lawn as well.

Start seeds. The last average frost date in middle Tennessee is April 15, which makes February the time to start many seeds that you'll set out in late April or early May. Be sure you can give your seedlings ample light, either in your sunniest window or under grow-lights. Our organic seeds are from Seeds of Change. You'll find some unusual, interesting varieties and well as the tried and true ones. They are $2.99 per pack.

Cut forsythia branches to force indoors. Gardeners have been getting a jump on spring by forcing forsythia into bloom for centuries, and it's one of those good ideas that never goes out of style. Look for branches with fattish buds that aren't too far apart. Cut on a 45 degree angle and plunge immediately into lukewarm water. Place in a bright location inside and you'll be enjoying cheerful golden blooms in just a few weeks.

Don't prune spring blooming shrubs. A common mistake is to “tidy up” spring bloomers like forsythia, lilac, and azaleas in late winter or early spring. Resist the urge because you're cutting off this year's flowers. If your spring bloomers need re-shaping, wait until after they finish flowering. If you're not sure about when to prune your shrubs, call us for advice.

March

Clean up perennial beds. Hopefully you were able to resist the urge to “tidy up” your perennial beds last fall, and instead let the dead tops do their job of protecting the plant crowns over the winter. If so, now's the time to cut those dead tops back to just above ground level and clear away any debris.

Cutting back established clumps of ornamental grasses can require significant elbow grease. Heavy-duty shears (well sharpened!) are helpful, and a string weed trimmer works great.

Unless you think the dead plant material may harbor disease, chop it all up and put it in your compost pile. If you don't have a chipper/shredder, try this: lay what you want chopped 6-8 inches deep and spread a big tarp or old bed sheet behind it. Run your side-discharging lawnmower over the pile, with (duh! – seems obvious but it's surprisingly easy to overlook) the discharge chute pointing toward the tarp. Then just drag the tarp to your compost pile and dump it.

Don't have a compost pile? Now's a great time to start one, and it's easy. Read on in this section for directions.

Divide perennials. Once you've cleaned up, divide overcrowded clumps of daylilies, hosta, rudbeckia, eupatorium and the like. Some, like daylilies, are pretty easy: Just dig up the clump, wash off the soil and tease the tuberous roots apart at logical ‘seams' – you'll often find the clump seems more inclined to separate at certain points, unless it's way overgrown. Some other perennials, like big hostas, can be a bear to get apart (a very large ‘Krossa Regal' had to be divided with an axe in one garden we know of!). Do the best you can, taking care to not smash the crowns and growing points of the plants as you work. If you do have to do significant cutting, it's a good idea to dust the cut surface with sulfur to prevent rot.

Replant divisions right away – they don't benefit from being out of the ground. You may not know what to do with your sudden plethora of plants (one 3-year-old ‘Stella de Oro' daylily clump can easily produce 6-8 clumps – and ‘Stellas' need regular division or they quit blooming well). If, like so many of us, you can't bear to throw them away, pot ‘em up and stick them in a fairly shady sheltered spot until you find them a home.

Feed your perennials, trees and shrubs. After you've got everything spiffed up, divided and replanted, give your perennials what they need to have a great growing season. We have fantastic results with a combo feed of Espoma Flower-Tone and Planters II, and we're not alone in our enthusiasm for this mix. Professional landscapers have discovered it, and we sell literally tons of it to a number of them. Great thing is, Flower-Tone is mostly organic, and Planters II is completely so, meaning they can't burn tender roots, and they're actively improving your soil as they feed your plants. It is also the time to feed any and all evergreens, and deciduous trees and shrubs. Give your evergreens and other acid loving plants a dose of Holly Tone mixed with Planters II for an incredible spring feed. You can read more about these products on our organics page.

April

Plant hardy perennials. Pinks, phlox, sedum, rudbeckia, scabiosa, hollyhocks – you name it, if it's a hardy perennial or biennial, plant it now. Most perennials need two years of growth to come into bloom, so buy the biggest ones you can find (one gallon containers or larger) unless you're willing to wait a season or two for flowers. Give your new plantings a starter feed of Espoma Flower-Tone, watered in with a solution of root stimulator (try our Espoma-brand Bio-Tone) to stimulate new root growth and promote soil health.

Average date of last frost for middle Tennessee: April 15. Statistically, the odds are we won't get another frost after this date. It's not impossible, of course, just unlikely. In any case, do wait a couple of weeks to plant warm-weather items like zinnias and melons, though – they're really not happy until after the soil has truly warmed.

Plant annuals. Even though the big-box superstore guys have been selling impatiens and marigolds since early March, late April into May is actually when you should put them in the ground.

Plan on making sure your annuals will get enough fertilizer – anything that blooms constantly uses a tremendous amount of energy and consequently needs a lot of food. A slow-release fertilizer dug in at planting time is a good idea, and many folks use Osmocote, which has been around for a long time. We prefer to use Flower-Tone, which not only has all the virtues expounded above but also improves your soil. (Synthetic fertilizers make soil poorer, not richer, over time, which is why you have to add greater and greater amounts to get any results).

Plant summer bulbs. Dahlias, tuberoses, cannas, caladiums, glads are all candidates for planting now that the soil is warming. Stake tall varieties when you plant them to avoid damaging the roots later. Whether putting in started plants or dormant roots, scratch a light handful of Flower-Tone or the 100% organic Plant-Tone in the hole before you plant for great plant vigor and flower production.

May

Hang a hummingbird feeder if you haven't already. Our indigenous Ruby-throated Hummingbirds typically arrive back from the tropics in mid-April, but it's still not too late to tempt them into your garden with a feeder. Be sure to hang it where you can enjoy their presence. Hummers are incredibly fearless (perhaps because they can outmaneuver just about any threat), so putting a feeder quite near human activity won't bother them. To prevent ants from invading, coat the hanger with petroleum jelly. FYI, the sugar water doesn't need to be red, just the ports where they drink.

Plant annuals and tropicals. Sun's getting high, soil's getting warm. Time for tender plants to go in, like impatiens, annual vinca, ‘Wave' petunias, verbena and the like. Do also consider putting in some tropicals for all-summer color that laughs at the heat – plants like hibiscus and plumbago. Be sure to work in some Flower-Tone when you plant, and, yes, keep everything watered.

Plant tomatoes, peppers, melons, okra and other warm season veggies. Vegetables that originated in the tropics need warm nights and warm soil to thrive, so it's a waste of time to put them in too early. Plants started later will outdistance ones started in cool conditions, too. Give everything you plant some Plant-Tone (or Tomato-Tone for the ‘maters) and keep well watered.

Feed roses and spray to control black spot. Roses are hungry plants, and regular applications of Rose-Tone will make a big difference in their performance. Just sprinkle some around the drip line of each plant every month for great performance.

Black spot leaf fungus is common in our high-humidity summers, especially on hybrid teas. Combat it with Triple Action 20 or Orthenex. Spray every 2 weeks for good control. As an alternative, we now have a new product made by Bayer that is a 3 in 1 rose control. It has a fungicide, insecticide, and fertilizer and is systemic for 6 weeks!

June-July

Pinch back fall blooming plants. Fall blooming plants like mums and asters should be pinched back every couple of weeks to prevent early flowering. Continue to do this until about the fourth of July. This timing should get them to come into bloom at the proper time in the fall.

Water, Water, Water. Up to this point, we have been receiving fairly regular rainfall in middle Tennessee . However, we all know that could, and probably will change at any time. If we are not getting AT LEAST an inch of rain per week then it's time to get the sprinklers out for a good deep soaking once or twice a week. Depending on the frequency of your watering, about 45 minutes to an hour for each watering should be sufficient for each spot.

Use “Moore 's Mix” to prevent stress during the summer. “Moore's Mix” is a concoction we have developed that contains hydrolyzed fish, liquid seaweed, humic acid, and beneficial bacteria and soil fungi. More information can be obtained by visiting the organics page or by calling. This mix can be applied every month to relieve the stress your plants feel during the hot months of the summer.

Stake plants. Now it is time to stake those plants that are starting to fall over if you haven't already. Tomatoes should be put in a cage that will support them to their ultimate size later in the summer. Also it may be necessary to stake other tall perennial plants that need some help as well.

Continue to feed annuals and perennials. As the weather heats up, it's not unusual for your plants to get “tired” and quit blooming. However, a monthly application of a granular fertilizer such as Espoma's Flower Tone can quickly perk up a garden that is stressed.

August

Divide tall bearded (aka German) iris. Dig up crowded Iris clumps and gently hose soil off the roots. Using a knife dipped in fungicide, cut the clump into separate plants, allowing one to three fans of foliage per division. Cut away and discard any diseased or dead rhizomes. Plant divisions in ordinary soil in sun or part shade, making sure the rhizome's upper surface shows above the soil line. Be sure to point the fans of foliage away from each other if planting in a group or you'll quickly end up with another overcrowded clump. Cut back foliage by about 2/3 to compensate for root loss. Water in with a mixture of Vita-Sea and SuperThrive to get new divisions off to a strong start.

Divide herbaceous peonies. The best time to divide peonies is when the foliage is browning and withering away. Carefully dig around the clump – a spading fork is the right tool for this task – and lift with a good ball of soil. Wash soil off the roots with a good stream of water. Look for natural points of separation and gently pull or cut apart, making sure that each division you create has a minimum of two or three growth points or ‘eyes' (where the leaf stems sprout from the roots). Plant the divisions in rich soil (dig in good homemade compost, mushroom compost, composted manure, or Hu-More to properly enrich your garden soil) in part sun or very bright shade, placing the ‘eyes' right at the surface of the soil. Water in with a solution of Vita-Sea and SuperThrive to encourage fast rooting

Water, Water, Water. Up to this point, we have been receiving fairly regular rainfall in middle Tennessee . However, we all know that could, and probably will change at any time. If we are not getting AT LEAST an inch of rain per week then it's time to get the sprinklers out for a good deep soaking once or twice a week. Depending on the frequency of your watering, about 45 minutes to an hour for each watering should be sufficient for each spot.

September

Buy spring bulbs now. Even though you won't plant them until later in the fall, now's the time to get those daffodil and tulip bulbs for next spring's show while the selection is good. Be sure to get a good all around bulb food when you purchase your bulbs. You can also go ahead and refrigerate tulips and hyacinths for six weeks for indoor forcing. Fall bulbs should be available by the middle of September here in the store.

Plant fall-blooming perennials. In addition to the usual mums and asters, check out Japanese anemones and some of the beautiful garden cultivars of goldenrod (and don't worry, goldenrod doesn't cause hay fever; it just gets blamed because it blooms at the same time as ragweed).

Plant fall veggies. It's time to seed or put out started plants of cabbage, broccoli, mustard, turnip greens, lettuce, carrots and Swiss chard. Make sure your garden bed contains plenty of organic matter, and till or spade in an application of PlantTone or FlowerTone before you seed.

Pull out tired annuals and prep beds for pansies. Get those raggedy looking annuals out of your beds and till or spade in an application of FlowerTone to prepare beds for pansy season.

Prepare your compost pile. Compost all raked leaves, garden trimmings, and vegetable scraps. By spring you will have a supply of valuable organic matter.

Prepare your lawn. Whether you are going to overseed or reseed (October projects), now is the time to get ready. Dethatch and aerate your lawn now, and apply Bermudagrass killer or Round Up while Bermuda and other weeds are still actively growing. Also, check your pH and adjust it if necessary. Fescue likes for soil pH to be as close to 6.0 as possible. If the soil is too acidic, apply limestone to “sweeten” the soil.

October

Refurbish your fescue lawn. Now's the time to install a new fescue lawn or overseed an existing one. To overseed, first aerate and dethatch if necessary. Then put down a high-quality turf-type fescue such as Southern Gold at the rate of 5 lbs. per thousand square feet. Apply granular fertilizer such as Espoma Lawn Food and Planters II (trace mineral supplement), and water in with Moore's Mix . For a new lawn, prepare the seedbed well, keeping it a little rough so the seed comes in good contact with the soil. Apply at a rate of 10 lbs per thousand square feet, cover with a thin layer of wheat straw and repeat the fertilization steps mentioned above. Whether overseeding or installing a new lawn, give the site light, frequent waterings to keep the seedbed moist. Keep on with this watering regimen until well after germination. If you use straw, be sure to only apply a thin layer and make sure you pull it off the young grass as soon as you have good germination.

Plant small species bulbs. Tuck in crocus, snowdrops, jonquils, grape hyacinths, scilla, allium, and other charming spring bloomers now. Wait to plant daffodils and tulips until November, however.

Plant pansies. Sure everybody plants them, but with good reason. In middle Tennessee , pansies give three seasons of terrific performance. The ones you plant now will bloom all fall and winter, faltering only in the coldest spells of winter, and then bloom their heads off all spring into May and June. That's a lot of floral bang for your buck. If you're tired of the big ole pansies with faces, try their charming smaller relatives the violas.

Bring in houseplants before nights get too cool. Aim to bring them in when temps inside and outside are about the same during the day. This causes the least stress to the plants as they adapt to a much lower light environment. Keep close track of predicted nighttime lows. Many tropicals are unhappy below 50 degrees, and absolutely hate anything below 40.

Plant container grown trees and shrubs. It's the best time of the whole year to plant container-grown stock. Planting in the fall gives the plants time to get their root system going before spring demands that they make leaves.

November

Plant trees and shrubs. Late fall into winter is the ideal time to install larger landscape items in our climate. Because our soil doesn't freeze, roots can grow all winter and give plants time to get established before the stress of summer. To plant, dig a generous hole that's twice as wide as the root ball and equally as deep. Be sure to work soil building products in with your original soil that you will be putting in the hole with the tree's roots. Put the tree in the hole, backfill with your improved soil about halfway full and tamp lightly to eliminate any air pockets. Fill in the rest of the way, making sure that the tree is planted at the same depth it had been growing, if not just a hair higher. Build a 3” soil dam around the tree even with the drip line and fill with water laced with root stimulator. Mulch properly and Voila!

Feed Pansies. Pansies are heavy feeding plants and another application of Flower Tone will give them a well balanced meal heading into the winter.

Start Amaryllis and Paperwhites for Christmas. How long it will take to bring these bulbs into bloom depends partly on light and temperature, but figure 5-6 weeks from start to bloom as a general rule of thumb. Give started bulbs the best light you've got and cool temps in the 60's to keep the flower stems stocky and strong.

Spray broadleaf evergreens with an anti-desiccant. Products like Wilt-Pruf help evergreens withstand drying winter winds. You'll really see the difference, especially on Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Hollies and yews can really benefit from an application as well.

Perennial bed cleanup-don't unless you have to. Although conventional wisdom has you cutting back your perennials to just above the crown in late fall, it's actually better for the plants to leave the dead tops on until early spring. The tops provide ideal insulation for the crown over winter- you'll lose fewer plants if you just leave nature alone. The dead seedheads and foliage also provide cover and food for wintering birds as well as resident species. If, however, you can't live with the look of it, cut your plants back and mulch the crowns with a light, airy mulch like pine needles. DON'T mulch with leaves or traditional landscape mulches like shredded pine or hardwood. These tend to trap too much moisture near the crown of the plant, sure death for many perennials.

Plant Tulips and Daffodils. With the soil temperature beginning to decrease this month is the best time to get your major bulbs in the ground. This will ensure a long enough “cool season” to get them ready for their springtime show!

December

Keep planting bulbs. There's still ample time to pop those spring bulbs into the ground as long as the ground isn't frozen solid. Be sure to plant the bigger bulbs (daffodils, narcissus, tulips, hyacinths) deep – 6 inches at least – and to mix a good bulb fertilizer into the soil under them.

Plant trees and shrubs. It's the best time of year to put in large nursery stock. Trees and shrubs may look like nothing's going on during the winter, but that's just because all the action has moved underground. Trees and shrubs make 75% of their root growth between mid-November and mid-March. Plant now and you give them time to get some good root growth before the demands of another growing season force the activity back above ground. Good roots = a healthy tree.

Fertilize your existing trees now! Since trees are actively growing new roots in the winter, logic would suggest that this would be the time to give those roots food. And, yes, once again, good old-fashioned horse sense is on the button. Now's the time to feed existing trees, even big ones. And it's an especially good idea this year, as even our largest trees have struggled through over two years of difficult droughty conditions. What fertilizer to use? For acid-lovers like dogwood, holly, magnolia, oaks, sourwood, black gum, pine, hemlock and such, use Holly-Tone. For others such as redbud, beech, maple, flowering cherry and so forth, we recommend either Tree-Tone or Plant-Tone. We also strongly urge you to feed with Planters II at the same time for all around long-term soil enrichment. You can read up on all these products in our organics section.