FREE Landscape Maintenance Tips
Some free tips to help you keep your yard looking good year 'round.

January
• Check to make sure the mulch is still covering plants that are exposed to the south and southwest.
• Comprehensive pruning should be done on all trees and shrubs (except maples) for correction, height, damage, or shape.
• Deep water trees, shrubs, and roses as needed.

February
• Use dormant oils to control scale or aspen black spot.
• Thin old, overgrown deciduous shrubs before they start to bud out or bloom.
• Gently brush the snow off trees and shrubs.

March
• If you didn't rake leaves or remove old fruit from fruit and deciduous trees in the fall, do so now.
• Check evergreen for browning and deciduous trees for buds that have died. Prune, don't shear deciduous trees.
• Deep water trees and shrubs as needed.

April
• Cut back perennials (except evergreen perennials-plants that stay green all year) from last year. With a sharp pair of scissors, remove dead plant material all the way to the ground.
• Prepare to activate the sprinkler system.
• Aerate and fertilize the lawn.
• Prepare the soil for all Colorado gardens, except in the mountains, where you may need to wait until the soil is workable.

May
• Mulch around flower and shrub beds to conserve moisture and keep down weeds.
• Mow lawn to no less than 2" and never dut any more than one-third of the growth.
• Water plants, trees, shrubs and lawn infrequently, but thoroughly.
• After the 15th, put out annuals and perennials that have been overwintered indoors in pots.

June
• Continue to plant summer flowering bulbs, like cannas, dahlias, and gladioili (plant a few gladioli each week for continuous blooms throughout the summer).
• Fertilize annuals and perennials with nitrogen-based fertilizer.
• Check drip and lawn system. Remove any emitters that are overwatering, add emitters to areas where the soil is dry.

July
• Mow the lawn to no less than 2-1/2 " in height, never cutting more than one-third of the growth.
• Do not use high nitrogen fertilizer on trees from the middle of July through February of next season.
• Make sure the garden is well-mulched to protect plants during the heat of the day.

August
• Make sure trees and shrubs get enough water during August.
• Pay particular attention to good watering practices this month. Stressed areas in the full sun, or on south or western slopes may need extra watering.
• Weed your garden frequently. Watch to see that weeds do not grow so large that they flower and drop seeds (causing more weeds!).

September
• Plant new perennials.
• Plant or transplant evergreens before the weather turns cool.
• Begin paying attention to the weather forecasts for predictions of early frosts. Cover plants if necessary.
• Water as needed. Be sure to check the ground so you don't overwater.

October
• Plant hardy bulbs for spring blooming.
• Remove leaves and plant material. Put them in a "hot" compost pile (hotter than normal) or discard.
• Winterize the irrigation system.

November
• Mulch young or newly planted trees and shrubs. Wait until the end of the month when the ground is frozen.
• Purchase spring bulbs for forcing and indoor winter blooming.
• Cut back perennials from last year so they will bloom better.

December
• Add lighting to your landscape.
• Reduce watering of plants as the days become shorter. Plants can be overwatered if you are watering as much as you do in late spring, summer and early fall.

Landscape maintenance tips are provided courtesy of MONTH-TO-MONTH GARDENING, COLORADO, Four Sisters Publishing, Inc., Englewood, CO