Yearly Southern Vegetable and Flower Garden Planner

March 15 – May 31 Spring Planting and Yard and Garden Care

Add compost and fertilize gardens and flower beds. Lime if necessary. Sow or plant for one crop per season vegetables like corn, leeks, melons, peppers, potatoes, squash, egg plant, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Harvest any left over winter greens crops and early spring crops. Begin harvesting plums and blueberries.

A good size vegetable garden for a family of four is about 14 x18 feet. If using rows, rows should run North to South to get full advantage of the sun. If that’s not possible plant yard size squares with 1 plant per square foot for larger plants. Grow climbers up on stakes and trellises. This would give you about 20 squares to plant in with 6” between each square. Use 6” wide runner boards to walk between squares. Plant 4 plants each of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, turnips, cabbage, kale, mustards, or Swiss chard, corn, beans, peas, pumpkin, and plant several onions, green onions, leeks, carrots, radishes, marigolds, and nasturtiums. Plant tender annual herbs as well. Tender plants will die in a freeze of 29-32°, half hardy plants may die or suffer damage in 21-28° weather, hardy plants will usually live unless freeze is below 20°, but may suffer damage if lower than this.

Plant bulbs like allium, begonia, caladium, calla lily, canna, dahlia, daylily, freesia, gladiolas, iris, Easter lily, and shamrock/sorrel. Plant azaleas, crepe myrtles, blueberries, figs, and other fruit trees. Plant spring annuals like morning glories, alyssum, dianthus, bachelor’s buttons, cosmos, sunflower, marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias, daisies, forget-me-nots, pansy, petunias, and Sweet William. Remove spent flowers and pinch off tallest stalks of bushy flowering plants. Mow yard every other week or weekly as needed. In bloom – blueberries, plums, dogwoods, daffodils, azaleas, snow drops, day lilies, roses and other early spring annuals and perennials.

May 15 – Sept 15 Summer Planting and Yard and Garden Care

Add compost and fertilize gardens and flower beds. Lime if necessary. Water deeply and infrequently, about once a week in early morning or late afternoon. Water potted plants and hanging baskets daily. Mulch around plants to keep in moisture. Some seeds won’t germinate if it’s too hot. Start indoors or in a greenhouse and move outside later. Begin harvesting spring planted vegetables. Continue harvesting plums and blueberries while they last and begin harvesting figs and strawberries. Mow yard every other week or weekly as needed. Daylilies, gladiolas, roses, crepe myrtles, and other late spring and summer annuals and perennials are in bloom.

Fall Planting and Yard and Garden Care Sept.1 – Nov. 15

Add compost and fertilize gardens and flower beds. Lime if necessary. Remove dead spring and summer plants and faded annual flowers before adding new compost. Mulch perennials for winter. Re-sow for additional crops like beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, kohlrabi, lettuce, radish, rutabagas, spinach, turnips. Plant vegetables that ripen in the frost and can be harvested in the winter and early spring months like broad beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, garlic, kale, leeks, parsnips, kohlrabi, rutabagas, spinach and turnips. Continue harvesting spring and summer planted vegetables. Use cloches like plastic coke bottles with the tops cut off for tender plants if suspecting an early freeze. Start raking leaves and compost them.

Plant bulbs like amaryllis, crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, iris, narcissus, and snow drops. Plant mums, azaleas, crepe myrtles, blueberries, figs, ect. Divide and transplant daylilies, iris, Easter lilies, cannas, daisies, mums. Plant marigolds, asters, zinnias, calendula, columbine, daisies, forget-me-nots, pansy, Sweet William, and violet. Deadhead roses and cut back rose canes to 30” from ground. Remove dead and damaged wood from fruit trees and shrubs. Water deeply but infrequently in early morning or late afternoon. Water potted plants and hanging baskets daily. Mow every other week or weekly as necessary. In bloom - lantanas, spider lilies, begonias, butterfly bush, caladiums, cannas, crape myrtle, dahlias, gladiolas, hostas, hydrangea, impatiens, lily, marigolds, mums, phlox, roses, salvia, vinca, and zinnias.

Nov.1 – Feb. 28 Winter Planting and Yard and Garden Care

Add compost and fertilize gardens and flower beds. Mulch well before winter freezes come. Bring tender plants and potted fruit trees inside before first frost. Continue raking leaves as necessary and compost them. Divide asparagus crowns and replant in winter months. Plant and grow vegetables that ripen in the frost and can be harvested in the winter and early spring months like Brussels sprouts, broad beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, garlic, kale, leeks, parsnips, kohlrabi, rutabagas, spinach, and turnips. Plant onion sets in January or February. Very tender and tender plants will usually die in a light frost of 29-32°, half hardy plants may die or suffer damage in 21-28° weather but will usually live through light frosts, hardy plants will usually live unless freeze is below 20°, but may suffer damage if lower than this. Continue harvesting summer, fall, and winter planted vegetables as long as they last. Take a break! You deserve it!

Free Catalogues and Interesting Websites

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