Gardening month-by-month in the Brazos Valley

This is the A&M Gardening Club’s “Monthly tasks for the Brazos Valley” – but edited down to plants that are in my garden. View their whole calendar here.

January

FERTILIZE AND MULCH: Iris, crepe myrtle, trees, strawberries, day lilies

BLOOMING: Narcissus, pansy, jasmine, roses.

WEATHER PROTECTION: If a freeze is predicted, cover tender plants and shrubs with boxes or plastic trash cans [not metal]. Heavy paper also works well. 

February

PRUNE: Roses, summer-blooming shrubs.

FERTILIZE: Blooming bulbs, trees.

BLOOMING: Pansies, annuals.

March

FERTILIZE: Feed all roses, shrubs and plants with quick-acting fertilizer to stimulate rapid spring growth. Trees may be fertilized this month. DO NOT fertilize grass this month as it is still partially dormant and cannot use the food, but the weeds can!

BLOOMING: All hardy annuals, many shrubs, trees and roses, many bulbs.

April

PRUNE: Early flowering trees and shrubs after they bloom.

FERTILIZE: Lawns, with extra fertilizer for areas under trees.

BLOOMING: Spring flowering annuals and perennials, geranium, iris, calla and Easter lilies, oxalis, early day lilies and gladiolus. Many flowering shrubs and vines.

May

FERTILIZE: Roses and plants that continue blooming and those producing buds for next year’s bloom.

BLOOMING: Annuals, perennials. Begonias, cactus, canna, day lilies, many shrubs.

June

PRUNE: Cut older canes of oleander, climbing roses and others which bloom on new growth. 

July

PRUNE: Cut out dead wood. Trim plants that need to be properly shaped. Crape myrtle spent blooms may be pruned to encourage repeat blooming.

August

FERTILIZE AND MULCH: Roses the last of this month for fall.

WEATHER PROTECTION: Soak beds where spider lilies are planted and they will bloom in September.

September

FERTILIZE: Amaryllis.

WEATHER PROTECTION: Keep well-watered to combat hot, dry weather.

BLOOMING: Cannas, day lilies, bedding begonia, hibiscus, roses, zinnia and many others.

October

FERTILIZE AND MULCH: Lawns and roses.

November

PRUNE: Flowering perennial stalks that have finished blooming. Trim dead part of leaves from bearded iris. Stop cutting spent rose blossoms off so the bushes will go dormant for cold weather.

FERTILIZE AND MULCH: Give extra feeding to bulbs as soon as tops come into view. 

December

PLANT: Jonquils, narcissus, daffodils, hyacinths and Dutch iris. Dormant trees, shrubs, and roses. Amaryllis, tulips, pansy, petunia, snapdragon, verbena and many others.