This information is a compilation of information from MWGS members and will be updated as additional information is received.
January
Take vacation in warm climate!
Run a pump to air exchange in water to keep a small hole in the ice. (Jan., Feb)
Order seeds and plants
February
Clean tools
2nd Week – Pot Sauromatum Guttatum Voodoo Lilies and Peruvian Daffodils to start inside for plant sale
3rd Week – Pot Calla Lilies to start inside for plant sale
4th Week – Pot Tuberous Begonias and start inside for garden
Pot Amorphophallus Konjac Voodoo Lilies to start inside for plant sale
March
Open pond when temperature reaches 45 to 50 degrees
Unfence shrubs when soil is warm enough to pull out stakes and warm enough to work outside
Pot Dahlias and Caladiums to start inside for garden and plant sale
Start seeds and trim trees
April
Clean debris from pond, start feeding fish, pull plants from deep water to shallow water
1st Week – Plant Cannas outside as soon as soil is soft enough to work.
Start heirloom tomatoes and basil seeds inside.
2nd Week – Plant Calla Lilies outside.
Plant potatoes outside on about Good Friday
Apply Preen on garden areas where annuals reseed.
3rd Week – Plant Gladiolus outside.
Transplant heirloom tomato seedlings into 4” pots.
Apply weed and feed to lawn when Forsythia blooms
4th Week – Divide Lotus and Water Lilies. Move hardy water lilies to pond.
Mulch garden with last fall’s leaves
Check drip irrigation system for leaks and repair as needed
Harvest first crop of Sorrell
Put small fences around Hostas outside backyard fence until leaves are large enough to spray
May
Clean pond, add plants when temperature is right, add bacteria.
Clean pond, install pump
Fertilize perennials
Add floating plants i.e. water lettuce, hyacinths and water lillies
1st Week – Clean and fill pond. Move Lotus to pond when water temperature reaches 60F
Participate in plant sales
Begin mowing lawn – mulch grass clippings in lawn, or if too long, bag and use in garden
2nd Week – Move fish from inside home to pond when pond is within 10 degrees of 70F aquarium
Disbud Honeycrisp espalier apples to one apple per spur and put a bag on each when apples are dime size
Apply Bug-Geta to soil to kill slugs. Sluggo not effective because chipmunks carry it away; Some use Basic H
3rd Week – Plant giant Taros, heirloom tomatoes, Dahlias and annuals after last frost
4th Week – Plant seeds in garden for squash, pumpkin, zinnias. Plant Voodoo Lilies, basil in garden.
Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer to garden.
Mulch garden with shredded pine bark or coco bean hulls.
Check placement of labeled stakes and make new ones as needed.
Spray Hostas after they leaf out with Liquid Fence, Deer Off or Repels All to deter rabbits. These last 2 months.
June
Clean filters as needed.
1st Week – Remove and pot first crop of annuals that reseeded from previous year and give them away
Remove leader from large Dahlias to reduce height and increase side branching
2nd Week – Cut mums down to half size to reduce height and increase bloom
Apply Preen on garden areas where annuals reseed.
3rd Week – Trim shrubs as needed
July
Clean filters as needed.
1st Week – Begin disbudding Dahlias
Pass out surplus plants at Edina 4th of July parade
2nd Week – Harvest 2nd crop of Sorrell
3rd Week – Host one public garden tour
4th Week – Begin harvesting heirloom tomatoes
August
Clean filters as needed.
1st Week – Begin dividing surplus perennials and pot them for next year’s plant sales
3rd Week – Begin dividing Martagon Lilies as needed
September
Clean filters as needed
Split hostas
1st Week – Dig Peruvian Daffodils and dry them in garage. Dig Sauromatum Guttatum Voodoo Lily and dry in garage
2nd Week – Dig Calla Lilies and dry in garage
Start dividing non Martagon lilies (Asiatic, OT, LA, etc), replant desired quantity and pot balance for plant sale.
3rd Week – Dig Giant Taros before first frost and pot them in 19” pots. Put them back in their hole and put sheets on them in case of light frost. When hard frost is likely, put them on dollies and roll them in and out of garage as temperatures permit.
About Sept. 20, harvest Honeycrisp apples
4th Week – Dig and divide Jack-in-Pulpits before leaf drop hides red berries. Remove berries and give them away or disburse in natural areas. Remove seeds of other native plants (Eupatorium, Actaea, New England Asters, etc) and give them away or distribute in natural areas.
Before first frost harvest heirloom tomatoes, squash, pumpkins.
Harvest potatoes when vines turn yellow.
Harvest hard neck garlic when bottom two leaves turn yellow.
Donate green tomatoes to food shelf.
October
Clean leaves out of pond. Move plants to deep water.
Pull and clean pump
Cut down perennials
1st Week – Start digging Gladiolus and drying them in garage
Dig Amorphophallus Konjac Voodoo Lily after first frost and dry in garage
Dig Caladiums before soil temps drop below 50F and dry in garage
Check aquarium supplies and purchase any needed (filter, test solution, Prime, Safe Start, etc)
Set up appointment with vendor for blowing out irrigation system the third week of October
2nd Week – Rake, bag and save tree leaves for winter mulch. Bag any surplus for next year’s garden mulch
Drain and clean pond. Take fish into home aquarium. Put Lotus and Water Lily tubs on dollies in heated garage.
Take pond frogs to local natural pond.
3rd Week – Plant any new lilies or new daffodils. Divide daffodils as needed
Blow out irrigation system
4th Week – Fence all shrubs from winter rabbit or deer damage
November
Prepare pond for winter. Remove large pump and set up small pump for air exchange.
1st Week – Dig Dahlias two weeks after first frost and dry in garage.
Dig Cannas any time before ground freezes and dry in garage, then stack in egg crates
2nd Week – Begin dividing Dahlias in garage and allow them to dry before individually wrapping each in plastic.
Begin packing away Calla Lilies, Peruvian Daffodils, Gladiolus in cardboard boxes .
Pack Caladiums in paper bags.
3rd Week – Harvest last crop of Sorrell before they are covered with snow
4th Week – Move surplus potted perennials for spring plant sales into heated garage before snow.
December
1st Week – Finish dividing and packing away bulbs, tubers, corms and rhizomes – hopefully before Christmas!
Run a pump to air exchange in water to keep a small hole in the ice
Enjoy the holidays!
