Maintaining Your Garden

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All gardens require maintenance. Weather, weeds, and wear and tear all take their toll on both plants and garden structures. Even the most self-sufficient plants need occasional clean up - removal of dead or unhealthy growth through selective pruning, shearing, or dead-heading (clipping off spent flowers and leaves). If the garden is regularly maintained, it will continue to be healthy and water efficient. However, if you are hard pressed for time, consider hiring a licensed landscape professional to maintain your garden. Be sure to put the garden waste into your compost bin or your curbside yard waste bin.

A truly effective maintenance routine is one that is year-round. It is best to spread tasks out over several months, making them small and manageable. It is sometimes overwhelming when spring or summer arrives and everything must be done all at once.

Below are maintenance tips for each month:

January

•	Plant bare-root shrubs and trees.

•	Prune deciduous trees and shrubs and all fruit trees (except Apricot and Olive) while they are dormant.

•	Wait until the flowers of spring-blooming shrubs fade before pruning.

•	If maintaining a lawn is not appealing, plant a water-thrifty ground cover. See Plant Lists found under Plants on the Main Menu for ideas.

Ornamental grasses can be low maintenance and water

thrifty, making them a good choice for a ground cover.

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Sharpen shovels and pruning tools. Use steel wool to remove rust. Sand wooden handles and apply linseed oil to protect the wood. Apply a band of bright-colored, water-resistant paint on handles to make the tools easier to locate if left in the garden. To keep long-handled tools rust-free, store them in a bucket filled with sand saturated with mineral oil.

•	Apply pre-emergent herbicide to lawns and beds in the late part of the month to control crabgrass and other early germinating weeds.

•	Deep water trees and shrubs if rainfall has been light.

•	Monitor rainfall and adjust automatic sprinklers accordingly. If rainfall is adequate, warm-season grasses require no supplemental irrigation.

•	Irrigate citrus and almond trees at night if frost is expected.

February

•	Continue pruning deciduous trees. Trees that are coming out of dormancy, such as Evergreen Pear, should not be pruned because the sap is starting to flow and pruning may cause the tree to bleed. If pruning is necessary, wait until the tree has set leaves and then prune.

•	Plant water-wise spring-blooming perennials and summer-blooming bulbs. Prune and shape existing perennials.

•	At the beginning of the month, apply dormant oil spray to deciduous fruit trees to control overwintering insects.

•	When new growth appears on established perennials, cut back old, dead growth.

•	Remove slugs and snails by hand or use traps. Use snail & slug bait made with iron phosphate to control their harmful effects in the garden. Iron phosphate products are nontoxic to animals and humans. Bait with Metaldehyde is toxic to wildlife, pets and humans.

•	Begin elimination of weeds while they are still small.

•	Deep water trees and shrubs if rainfall has been light.

•	Irrigate citrus and almond trees at night if frost is expected.

March

•	Plant summer-blooming water-wise perennials. Apply compost / fertilizer.

•	When new growth appears on established perennials, cut back old, dead growth.

•	Check and maintain irrigation system.

•	Flush out or scrub sediment from filters and from each end of the line.

•	Check screens for algae.

•	Make sure all spray heads, rotors and drip emitters are functioning.

•	Clean or replace clogged ones and check for and repair leaks in lines.

•	Compost weed-free grass clippings and garden refuse.

•	Blast aphids from plants with a spray of water or treat with summer-weight horticultural oils.

April

•	Feed trees and shrubs with compost / fertilizer.

•	Check new growth for aphids and eliminate with a blast of water from a hose nozzle.

•	Clean bird feeders with hot, soapy water and allow them to dry thoroughly before refilling.

•	Remove thatch from warm season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine), if there is more than a half inch accumulation, to allow for better water penetration.

•	Apply mulch to new and existing plantings for water retention.

•	Do not allow mulch to accumulate against stems or trunks of plants.

•	Continue to monitor and destroy slugs and snails.

•	Water by need rather than by schedule.

•	Plant warm-season vegetables

May

•	In windy areas, stake young trees.

•	To help control aphids, mealy bugs, scales, and other soft-bodied insects, apply beneficial insects that feed on a variety of garden pests.

•	Create a habitat for these beneficial insects by planting plants that provide them food and shelter. For more information visit the Pest section.

•	De-candle pine trees to encourage compact growth.

•	Water and mow lawn. Raise mower height so grass grows long enough to shade out weeds and keep roots cool. Suggested mowing heights are as follows:

•	Tall fescue 2-3"

•	Common Bermuda 2"

•	Hybrid Bermuda 1-1.5"

•	Trap, hand-pick or bait snails, slugs and earwigs.

Pride of Madera blossoms attract butterflies.

June

•	Reschedule your irrigation timer and make sure that newly planted trees and shrubs are kept moist.

•	Check out the Irrigation section for details.

•	Mow lawns frequently, removing only one third of the growth with each mowing. Avoid cutting lawns too short. "Scalping" causes yellowing and encourages weeds.

•	Early morning irrigation is preferable for bedding plants and lawns to prevent foliar disease.

•	Continue to hoe and pull weeds.

•	Deadhead perennials through the summer months to keep them blooming.

July

•	During these hot summer months, water plants at night or in the early morning hours to decrease evaporation.

•	Avoid over-watering lawns to prevent warm-weather diseases, crabgrass and nutgrass.

•	Deep water citrus on a regular schedule to maintain even soil moisture.

•	Control weeds before they flower and set seed. Control methods include herbicide, mowing and hand-pulling.

•	Rinse dust off foliage to reduce spider mite populations.

•	Wash aphids and white flies off plants with water or insecticidal soap.

•	Check for spider mites and treat if necessary.

•	Harvest tomatoes to encourage continued fruit. Feed tomatoes with a moderate-nitrogen compost / fertilizer.

•	Pinch back the growing tips of herbs.

•	If you have a lawn and need to purchase an electric mower; select one with a mulching feature that leaves finely shredded grass in place on the lawn, so no raking or bagging is necessary (Grasscycling). Aerate the lawn if needed to allow water penetration and reduce runoff.

•	If you have a compost pile, keep it moist during dry spells. Make sure to keep a layer several inches deep of dry material on the top to prevent flies. You can also install a perforated PVC pipe in the center of the compost pile to keep it aerated without turning the compost.

August

•	Take advantage of warm, dry weather to repair loose gate hinges or wobbly fence posts in preparation for fall and winter rains.

•	Replenish or place mulch where needed.

•	Do not allow vegetables to dry out.

•	Deep water citrus on a regular schedule to maintain even soil moisture.

•	Check drip emitters to adjust flow and unclog them as needed.

•	Apply pre-emergent herbicide to prevent annual bluegrass.

•	Prune apricot, oleander and olive trees now to reduce future disease problems.

•	Cut back perennials to encourage growth and re-bloom.

September

•	Rake fallen leaves and place in compost pile or green-waste recycling cart or use as mulch in flowerbeds.

•	Change the irrigation schedule to gear down for fall. Continue deep watering of citrus.

•	Clean up fallen fruit around the bases of fruit trees and compost or dispose of them. Remove and dispose of any fruit and nuts that cling to the tree.

•	Keep plants clean and free of dust to discourage spider mites.

•	Sharpen your pruning tools in preparation for fall pruning.

October

•	Plant water-wise trees, shrubs, perennials and spring-blooming bulbs.

•	Apply pre-emergent herbicide to prevent winter weeds.

•	If mature perennials are crowded, divide them.

•	Remove vegetable plants past their prime and compost or put in green-waste bin.

•	If you like garlic and onions, now is the time to plant them.

•	If you do not own a smart controller, reschedule your irrigation timer to reduce the watering to reflect cooler temperatures and shorter days.

•	Test your soil now if you suspect it is deficient in nutrients. The pH may require adjustment.

•	Trees need to be deeply watered as they enter dormancy.

•	Trap snails under raised boards, use copper barriers for protection or use commercial baits, preferably those containing iron phosphate.

•	Remove plant debris to eliminate hiding places for pests.

•	Add fallen leaves, chipped trimmings and garden debris to compost.

•	Put organic mulch around permanent plants to conserve water and reduce weed germination.

•	Prepare soil for wild flowers. Sow seed in November.

•	Stock up on landscape fabric, garden tools, and irrigation systems that are usually on sale at garden centers and nurseries during this time.

Cut watering in half in October.

November

•	Monitor rainfall and adjust irrigation to keep soil moist for new plantings.

•	Plant a nitrogen-replenishing cover crop in vegetable beds or between grapevines and fruit trees.

•	Recycle plant containers.

December

•	Lightly prune evergreens for holiday decorating.

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Moss on pathways, decks, and stairs can be dangerously slippery; lightly scrub with steel brush to remove. To remove the moss, apply a product containing ferrous sulfate or ferrous ammonium sulfate, being careful not to get it on your flowers, plants and shrubbery. If steps or ramps are very slick, nail thin strips of asphalt roofing material on them to provide better traction.

•	Prune deciduous trees and all fruit and nut trees except apricots and olives.

•	At the end of the month, apply dormant oil spray to deciduous fruit trees to control overwintering insects and diseases.