Spring (March - May)

• See Guidelines for Throughout the Year
• End of Winter clean-up
• Aerate and de-thatch lawn
• Control slugs and snails especially in Spring and Winter
• Fertilize early (see Fact Sheet)

March

• See General Guidelines appearing before the month by month section
• Fertilize
• If aphids are found, spray off with water and follow with Safer's Insecticidal Soap
• Weeds pull easily while ground is soft
• Control oak moth larvae on small trees by spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis; call tree service for larger trees
• Prune wisteria: when young, remove all but 1 or 2 trunks; look at structure and prune carefully, removing some long whips entirely and cutting back others to 3 buds, which will become flower buds. Continue pruning all year, especially in summer when plant is growing vigorously. Keep it neat and tight. Don't wind it around itself or supports; support is vital. Plastic coated stranded wire (available at Ace Hardware) is effective and unobtrusive
• Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees after bloom
• Cut back woody perennials such as Artemisia (6-12"), Salvia, Perovskia, but wait until mid April to cut back Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' and never remove more than 1/3 of the growth. Cut back Abutilon and Cestrum to 3"-4" to shape and encourage compact growth. (Many perennials are short lived and need replacing every 2-3 years.)
• Shear hedges, feed and water
• Cut low growing perennials to within 4" of the ground; (i.e.: Penstemmon, Nepeta, Iberis, Erigeron, Diascia, Ajuga, Aster frikartii, geranium; pull Alstromeria stalks from the base.
• Renovate lawns if needed by aerating, de-thatching, reseeding and topdressing. Apply broadleaf and crabgrass controls if necessary.
• Divide crowded perennials, cut back old or dead growth on established plants, fertilize and water to stimulate new growth.
• Control mosquitoes that breed in standing water by cleaning birdbaths regularly and eliminating other accidental accumulations. For ponds, float doughnut-shaped briquettes on the water (one per 100 square feet of surface area) that release Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis for more than 30 days (available from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, 530/272/4769). Santa Clara Water District will deliver mosquito fish for larger bodies of water free.
• Planting: vegetables, herbs, citrus (for fast establishment, purchase young trees in 5 gallon cans), strawberries (base of crown level with the soil and roots lightly covered)

April Back to Top

• See General Guidelines appearing before the month by month section
• Fertilize
• Control cutworms by placing paper cup collars around tomatoes and other vegetables; wash off aphids with a stream of water and follow with Safer's Insecticidal Soap
• Renovate lawns if needed and not done last month by aerating, de-thatching, reseeding and topdressing. Apply broadleaf and crabgrass controls if necessary
• Do a spring cleaning on your irrigation system: check each station to be sure heads/emitters aren't clogged or broken and coverage is good
• Plant frost tender plants such as Bougainvillea, Citrus, Geraniums, Hibiscus, Tecomaria, Tibouchina, Grewia, Limonium, Datura
• Plant annuals
• Dead-head (snap off) rhododendron blossoms as they fade and fertilize

May Back to Top

• See General Guidelines appearing before the month by month section
• Fertilize
• Deadhead
• Tip pinch abutilon and cestrum to encourage bushy, compact growth
• Direct growth of vines and climbing roses
• Check for aphids and spray off with hose; follow with Safer's Insecticidal Soap
• When bulb foliage has yellowed, cut off
• Remove diseased rose leaves and control blackspot (other than by pulling leaves) by spraying with solution of: 3t baking soda and 2½ t horticultural oil in a gallon of water; repeat every 2 weeks or so
• Pinch azaleas, fuchsias, geraniums, marguerites, etc. to encourage branching and fullness
• Prune evergreens, citrus, flowering vines and shrubs to shape after they finish blooming and follow with fertilizer and water
• Deep water shrubs and trees in the ground less than two years
• If you have a drip system, check emitters and clean filters