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A Plant For All Seasons Sneak a peek at what's prime for planting month-by-month 
Curious about what plants, flowers and edibles are the easiest, most fruitful and just plain fun to grow? Think monthly when it comes to choosing the best backyard crops, and don't forget to bring your appetite and a few spotless vases. January The blossoms on citrus trees, like Meyer Lemons or Kaffir Limes, have a heavenly fragrance, says Elizabeth Morgan, founder of the NW Gardener's Guild, a Portland, Ore.-based consulting and design company. In colder climates, small plants can be brought inside and kept in containers as long as they get five hours of direct sun each day. February Lenten Roses do well in partial to full shade in most winter climates from Anchorage to Dallas, providing interest at a time of year when much of the yard is devoid of blooms, Morgan says. If multiple hues are planted together, they can cross-pollinate, creating new color variations. March Start edibles like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant from seed inside, for transplanting outdoors later when the nights are consistently in the fifties, says Renee Shepherd, owner of Renee's Garden, a Felton, Calif.-based seed company. Put cool-weather-loving sweet peas directly in the ground as soon as the soil is workable. April Plant cool-weather food crops like beets, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy and chard from seed, Morgan says. And consider including a hardy Himalayan Honeysuckle. It grows quickly, attracts birds and produces pretty purple bracts in the summer and berries in the autumn. May Now's when you can shift trees and shrubs from containers into the ground, pretty much anywhere in the country, says Lee Reich, Ph.D., author of "The Pruning Book" (Taunton Press, 2010) and "Landscaping With Fruit" (Storey Publishing, 2009). Scatter or rake in seeds of warm-weather flowers such as cosmos, marigolds and zinnias. June Fill out your garden by transplanting fruit and vegetable seedlings like melons, squash, cucumbers, beans and corn, Shepherd says. In hotter climates, where you may have planted earlier, make sure beds are well-mulched and use drip irrigation to keep things going. July Replant hardy vegetables like broccoli, carrots and beets by mid-month to allow a second crop time to mature before declining light levels and temperatures slow growth. Put in easy fall flowers, Morgan says. "Japanese Anemones, for example, do well in moist, shady areas that are often difficult to plant, and they are equally happy in sun." August Late month is a good time to start grass seed in the northern half of the United States, Reich says, because temperatures are usually moderate enough to make watering less of a problem. It's also ideal for planting fall produce like radishes, turnips and spinach in most regions, and kale in warmer southern states. September This is the beginning of the season for planting bulbs like daffodils and tulips. Plus, you can prepare part of the garden for next year with little effort or expense by sheet mulching, Morgan says. Layer cardboard, leaves, straw, compost, fertilizers and soil about 18-inches deep to make a thick bed which will slowly break down and produce a rich planting medium in about six months. October It's the perfect time to plant hardy fruit trees such as apples and pears, and shrubs like blueberries, Reich says. "The soil is already in nice condition, and they will get watered-in naturally over the winter." In hot climates, transplanting potted peach and nectarine trees is a great choice. November Full sun and good drainage calls for sowing wildflowers, poppies and larkspur from seed in mild climates, Shepherd says. "They will germinate over the winter and bloom in the spring." There's still time to plant fast-growing greens like arugula for an aromatic winter salad. December Continue to harvest lettuces by covering them with a frost cloth, Reich says. These lightweight, permeable fabrics also protect aloe, citrus and tropicals in southern climates if temperatures dip. Otherwise, use this time to spread organic fertilizers. Take time to weed if the soil isn't frozen. |
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