If you already performed some of these tasks in September – then no worries! More seasonal tasks sometimes can overlap from month to month.

GENERAL LANDSCAPE

• Clean garden tools if you didn’t before you stored them last year.
• Sharpen any cutting tools such as pruners
• Start a new compost pile
• Keep birdfeeders clean & full
• Clean birdhouses and check for loose screws or pieces
• Paint your porch or fence on those unseasonably warm days
• Sweep old leaf debris away from the house
• Lay down a pre-emergent weed preventer in your landscape beds

LAWNS

• Apply step 1 Fertilome Crabgrass Preventer Plus Lawn Food 
• OR skip step 1 if you are going to be applying grass seed this Spring. The weed preventer in step 1 will prevent grass seed from germinating.

TREES & SHRUBS

• Take note of your trees & shrubs and look for dead branches and damaged plants. We advise waiting until mid Spring before worrying if something isn’t going to come back out of winter dormancy.
• Make plans for what you may want to plant in the landscape in Spring
• While woody plants are dormant, spray Dormant Oil Spray to help kill eggs, disease, or fungal spores. Please note that temperatures need to be above 40 and stay that way for at least 8 hours with no precipitation that day.
• Test last years seeds for viability

VEGETABLE GARDENS

• It’s time to choose your seeds! We don’t recommend starting indoors until March but the best seed selection is now as the new shipments arrive.
• Start mapping out your garden now. Look into companion planting and know what is best to plant together
• If this is your first year vegetable gardening, map out your garden layout.

PERENNIALS

• Like trees & shrubs above, wait until mid-Spring to worry about whether any perennials will come back from their winter dormancy.
• Make plans for what you may want to plant or fill in this coming Spring

HOUSEPLANTS

• If your Amaryllis has finished blooming, cut back the bloom stalk and continue caring for it as a houseplant
• Don’t forget to keep any blooming Paperwhites watered
• Do a check of your houseplants for any pesky pests such as scale or aphids.

FLOWER BEDS & CONTAINERS

• Due to our below zero cold spell, Pansies are probably looking pretty sad right now. You should be seeing some green trying to come back through. If they don’t perk up by later this month consider planting some fresh pansies to replace them.
• Ornamental Cabbage & Kale that are withered can be removed and composted or thrown away.

WATER GARDENS

• Fish don’t eat very much right now as they are hibernating. If average temperatures are below 40 then do not feed. If average temperatures around 40-50 then feed 1-2 times a week with a wheat germ based fish food.
• Make sure if the water garden ices over to break a hole in the ice to keep gases exchanging.