Landscape Maintenance Calendar & Guide
GARDEN
TASKS
SPRING:
March
April
May
SUMMER:
June
July
August
FALL:
September
October
WINTER:
November
December
January
February
WATERING
Year as Noted
Year 1
thru Long-term: If unusually hot, dry weather
causes plants to wilt, then water like itʼs SUMMER!
See Year 1: Watering Schedule for Summer on
reverse.
Years 2 – 3:
During hot, dry periods, deep water
stressed trees & shrubs every 2 weeks and ground
covers & flowers every 7–10 days.
Long-term: Deep water stressed plants only.
Option: Stop watering lawn in summer and allow
grass to go dormant. Saves water and mowing time.
Year 1 – 5:
If rain soaks 12–18 inches deep, relax. If
not, deep water plants - especially evergreens – to help
plants resist drying from winter sun and wind!
Long-term: None usually needed.
Take a break! No need to water in winter.
WEEDING
Year as noted
Year 1:
Weekly
Years 2 – 5:
Biweekly
Long-term: Monthly
Weed well in spring to save
time in summer!
Years 1 – 5:
Weekly, unless
you weeded so well in
spring that monthly will do!
Long-term: Monthly & as
needed
Year 1 thru Long-term:
Do
one thorough weeding and
clean up during fall.
Years 1 – 5: Monthly & as
needed. Adding mulch in fall
prevents most winter weeds.
Long-term: 1 or 2 times
during winter months.
MULCHING
Year 1 thru Long-term
Mulch 3–4 inches deep in spring to save
weeding and watering time in summer.
Remember to pull mulch back from
stems to allow plants to breathe!
Where ground cover is filling in, add thin
layer (dusting) of mulch and broom in.
Mulch in spring - or fall or winter!
Use fall leaves and/or grass clippings
to mulch around plants, and keep down
winter weeds!
Or compost leaves and grass clippings
and add in spring.
Alternative season for mulching as
needed.
See also SPRING & FALL.
OTHER TASKS
Year 1 thru Long-term
Pick up trash as needed.
Mow lawn regularly to recommended
2 inch mowing height. Use mulching
mower to feed soil with grass clippings!
Hand pick root weevils & cutworms
at midnight in late March.
Pick up trash as needed.
Mow lawn to 2 inch height.
Option: Stop watering lawn.
Mowing is reduced while grass is
dormant.
Pick up trash as needed.
Mow lawn to 2 inch height.
Rake leaves from lawns.
Pick up trash as needed.
Remove dead and broken wood,
and suckers at base of trees.
Mow lawn to 2 inch height
*Bindweed
*English Ivy
Clover
Himalayan Blackberry
Nightshade
*Butterfly Bush
*Groundsel
Dandelion
Holly
Plantain
*Canada Thistle
*Herb Robert
Dock
Laurel
Tree Seedlings
*Catsear
*Scotch Broom
Grass
Mallow
Vetch
Year 1: Watering Schedule for Summer
(June – August)
Type of Plant
Tree
Shrub
Ground Cover
Perennial/Annual
Grass Lawn*
Amount of Water
5 – 10 gallons
3 – 5 gallons
1 – 2 gallons
½ gallons
1 inch
Frequency for Year 1
Once a Week
Once a Week
Once or Twice a Week
Twice a Week
Per Week
Type of Plant
Tree
Shrub
Ground Cover
Perennial/Annual
Grass Lawn
Time for
Soaker Hose Watering
adjust for
12–18 inch penetration
40 - 60 minutes
40 - 60 minutes
40 - 60 minutes
40 - 60 minutes
Not Applicable
Time for
Spot Watering
at approx. 2 gallons
per minute
2.5 – 5 minutes
1.5 – 2.5 minutes
0.5 – 1 minute
15 – 20 seconds
Not Applicable
Watering Tips:
· Water deeply and infrequently, in morning or evening.
Water evaporates during midday heat. See Watering on
Landscape Maintenance Calendar & Guide.
· Water where roots are: top 12-18 inches of soil for trees, shrubs, ground
covers and perennials/annuals, and top 4 -6 inches for lawns.
· Plants are installed with a watering basin or saucer, a small earth berm or
donut formed around each plant to hold water at its base. Keep watering
basin intact, particularly for the first year!
· Do “pulsed” watering. Water 2 days in a row, or morning & evening on 1
day. Like a damp sponge, already moist soil allows more water to absorb
deeper into the ground.
· Drill or poke holes into the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Put at the base
of a tree or shrub, fill and let drain slowly into soil. Water 5-10 gallons per
tree, and 3–5 gallons per shrub.
· Use soaker hoses and spot watering to water planting beds, instead of
garden sprinklers and hand spraying. Drip irrigation systems apply water
to individual plants and are water efficient but more complicated and
expensive to properly design and install.
· Use a timer – either on the hose itself for soaker hoses, or a kitchen timer
or stop watch for spot watering.
Mulching Tips:
· Maximize time & water saving benefits of mulching.
Maintain 3-4 inch thick mulch layer over all planting beds
– but don't bury plants. Burying plants in mulch will rot them!
· One cubic yard of mulch spread 3-4 inches thick covers
approximately 100 square feet (10' x 10') of planting bed.
Share a truck load or two of mulch and have a “Block
Mulching Party.”
Weeding Tips:
· Pull or dig out weed roots – removing weed tops only is
“pruning.” Pull weeds when they're small and soil is moist – it's easier!
· Use a sharp pointed trowel or garden fork to loosen soil and dig out
weeds. Back tired? Use a long-handled weed puller to yank weeds.
Other Gardening Tips:
· In late March, take a flashlight out into the garden
around midnight to literally catch root weevils and
cut worms in the act, munching new foliage. Pluck &
pinch (or squish) to manually remove the pesky critters!
Typical section
natural drainage
system plants
DECIDUOUS TREES
Norwegian Sunset Maple
Pacific Sunset Maple
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry
Katsura Tree
Eddieʼs White Wonder Dogwood
Cornelian Cherry
Purple-Leaved Hazelnut
Flame Ash
Ballerina Magnolia
Galaxy Magnolia
Korean Mountain Ash
EVERGREEN TREES*
*Very few planted
Hinoki Cypress
Austrian Pine
Japanese Black Pine
BROADLEAF
EVERGREEN SHRUBS
Strawberry Tree
Compact Strawberry Tree
White Rockrose
PJM Rhododendron
Evergreen Huckleberry
LOW DECIDUOUS
SHRUBS
Kelseyʼs Dwarf Dogwood
Tangerine Potentilla
Snowberry
BROADLEAF EVERGREEN
GROUND COVERS
Kinnikinnik
Rose Queen Epimedium
Kewensis Wintercreeper
Salal
Creeping Mahonia
Sword Fern
PERENNIALS
Gaura
Cranesbill
Sunrose
Daylily
Coral Bells
Purple Palace
Coral Bells
Douglasʼ Iris
Gladwin Iris
Lavender
Lupine
Crocus
WETLAND
EMERGENTS
Sedge
Daggerleaf Rush
Arrowhead
Small-Fruited Bulrush
Youth-on-Age
Vine Maple
Redtwig Dogwood
Yellowtwig Dogwood
Isanti Redtwig Dogwood
Diane Witchhazel
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Belle Etoile Mock Orange
Red-Flowering Currant
Peafruit Rose
Pavement Rugosa Rose
Salmonberry
Blueberry
DECIDUOUS SCREENING SHRUBS
Some
common
weeds:
*State-regulated
noxious weeds
may also be locally
regulated. Make
efforts to contain,
suppress and/or
eliminate these
weeds. For more
information, go to
Washington State
Noxious Weed
Control Board
website at
www.nwcb.wa.gov
* Option: Stop watering lawn. Mowing is reduced while grass is dormant.
Bigleaf Maple shown
as example of Tree
Seedlings. Also alder,
birch, black locust,
cherry, mountain ash,
& others.
