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Gardening 101: Your 2006 gardening calendar
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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1 response 0 comments I thought at this time of year when everyone is trying to get more organized I might try, too. I think while setting up my yearly calendar and jotting down all the birthdays I must remember I will add some gardening dates. 

My theory is by being more organized and not waiting until "after the fact" it might make my life a little easier. Not to mention the bonus of my garden looking better! 

Besides, if I spend more time outside I will be in a much better mood...
   
I will start with preemergents. The application of seed control is much more effective if you can get it down early each season. On the lawn, this means every three months. A good schedule that has worked well for us and our customers is March 1, June 1, Sept. 1 and Dec 1. The closer you stay on this schedule year after year the fewer weeds you'll have. Alternate your brand of preemergents, pay attention to kinds of weeds you're dealing with and use the appropriate product for your particular weed problem. 
   
In the flowerbeds where the ground is disturbed more often I like every two months for the seed control application. Yes, this seems like a lot of work, but not when you consider the hours of weeding and the cost of spraying existing weeds you can save. The first step is getting it on that calendar!
   
Once a month, feed your garden. We water so often in Bakersfield that it leaches the nutrients out of the soil rather quickly. By feeding monthly you will have a much healthier yard with plants that not only look better but are more resistant to problems. Again, alternate the products used, paying attention to the numbers on the bag. A simplified explanation is the first number equals growth, the second equals flower and the third equals roots. Always choose a fertilizer that lists trace mineral on the back of the bag (iron, zinc, etc.). Organic fertilizers stay in the soil longer, are slower releasing  and have less chance of burning. Use a fertilizer with a penetrant if you have hard or clay soils. 
 
Plant your summer color in April or May after the danger of frost is over.  At this time, you can also apply the Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control on non-edibles. This is a once-a-year treatment for insects. Put this on your problem plants that are plagued each year by a certain insect. A short list of good candidates: birch, weeping willow, perennial morning glory, crape myrtle, orange trumpet vine and hibiscus.
  
Mark a day in mid-July to have the final pruning on your azaleas and camellias.Pruning after this date can eliminate your spring bloom because the buds set at the end of summer. A pretty heavy shearing is OK, just be sure to leave some green growth and never take them back to bare wood. If your plants are woody without many leaves you may want to do the first pruning right after they bloom. This should be a light tip-pruning followed by the heavier pruning in July.
   
In the fall, usually October or November, plant your spring blooming color.  Yes, that's right. Plant bulbs and annuals that bloom in the spring before the ground gets too cold but after summer temps have cooled down. Pansies, snaps, stocks, calendulas, Iceland poppies, primroses and cyclamen will perform much better and longer when planted at this time.     
   
As winter approaches, plan to start spraying cloud cover. This will help some of your frost-tender plants get through the winter. The directions call to repeat the application every six weeks until danger of frost is over. If you mark the calendar you have a chance of not forgetting!
   
Winter is also the time to dormant spray your yard to help eliminate some of the coming year's problems. Use spray oil for insects and a fungicide for disease once in December, January and February; in other words, three times through the winter months. A seminar, "Pruning and Care of Fruit Trees," will be held at Robby's Nursery on Jan. 14 and 15 at 1 p.m. This free seminar demonstrates pruning on established trees in Robby's orchard.
 
All these chores are to make the yard look better and ease are workloads. By planning ahead to eliminate the problems we know are coming, we can free up time to really enjoy our gardens. The dates I have mentioned are the basics, of course. We will still have to put out snail bait as needed and pull up the milkweed when it outgrows our flowers. We will still deal –– or should I say cope –– with the nutgrass and continually change watering schedules. After all, I never said I'd take away ALL your fun! 
 
Happy New Year!
 

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