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• If you haven't already, spray fruit trees and shrubs, such as roses, with light dormant oil spray. It must be done on a calm day, when there's no threat of rain for a few hours and BEFORE the tree starts to leaf out. (Such vines as honeysuckle also benefit from a light spraying to prevent bug damage later in the season.)
• Winter pruning should be attended to, but not too early. Fruit trees can be done, but wait a little longer for the shrubs. If they are pruned too soon, there is a chance they could suffer severe damage if hit by a hard frost.
• Prune grapes and cane fruits, such as raspberries, now.
• Do not prune spring flowering shrubs or clematis. All Type 'A' clematis, such as the montanas, flower on last year's wood and should be left alone until they have finished blooming. Type 'C' varieties should be pruned back to two strong sets of buds, as close to the ground as possible, sometime now as they flower on this year's wood. If your clematis falls into the Type 'B' category, check whether it is group B1 (Duchess of Edinburgh) or B2 (Nelly Moser), as they are pruned differently again. B1's flower on last year's wood in May and then again in September on the current season's growth. B2's flower simultaneously on both last year's and this year's growth.
• Do not walk on or work in the garden bed if the soil is soggy. You will just be compacting it and making it difficult for the new shoots to break through. Take a handful of soil and squeeze. If it crumbles, it is ready to work; if it dribbles water, go back inside and thumb through your seed catalogue or garden magazine again.
• Check for bulbs coming up and pull the mulch away slightly.
• And while you are down there admiring the fresh new growth of the season, check for slugs. They are starting to make their move already and are famished from their winter quiet time. There are probably a few round white eggs close by too that should be disposed of immediately.
• Start to fertilize the tender plants that you brought in last fall; they will be putting on new growth.
• Check the bulbs that were brought in to be stored over the winter. Discard any that have gone soft or moldy.
• It is too early to start most annuals and vegetables from seed just yet, but perennials can be started as well as geraniums, begonias impatiens, parsley and some others. Sweet peas can be planted straight into the ground where they are to grow, or indoors in flats. Nip them back to the first 2 sets of leaves when they get to be about 4 1/2" to 6" tall.
• Now is a good time to buy spring flowering shrubs. When planting them out in the garden, do not bury them any deeper than they were in the pot ... or even set them a little higher as the soil will settle somewhat. Do not forget to water!
• Prune late flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas, Lavatera 'Barnsely' and buddleias
• Fertilize your houseplants and/or repot them as they will be putting on more growth.
• Begonia tubers can be potted up now.
• Over wintered geraniums and fuschias can be repotted and given some brighter light.
• Garden beds can be top-dressed with seaweed, fish compost, mushroom manure or compost from your bin. Your plants will be ecstatic if you can pile it on about 2" thick. Do not use fresh manure! You will not only burn your newly emerging plants, but also be inundated with lots of weeds from the undigested grain seed. Best to use horse and cow manure that has been aged for 5 years, though you can cheat a bit on the cow stuff because it passes through so many stomachs. Chicken manure should be 1 or 2 years old. Know your supplier well!
• Turn the rest of the compost bin that was not emptied onto the garden to hasten the last bit of decomposition.

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Vegetable Growing Vital Statistics (printable version of this table)
Family	Species	Soil	pH	Soil temperature for germination F degrees day; night	Air temperature for best growth F degrees day; night	Seed
						Viability (years)	Germination (days)	Planting depth (inches)
Compositae	Lactuca sativa Lettuce	Very rich organic heavy or light	5.8�7.0	35-80	73d / 45n	1-6	3-7	1/4
	Spinacia oleracea Spinach		6.0�6.5	35-75	60�65d 40-45n	3	6-12	1/2
Cruciferae	Brassica oleracea Cabbage	Slightly heavy loam	6.0-7.5 6.5�7.0 (cauliflower)	45�85 55�85 (cauliflower)	60-65	3-4	4-20	1/2
Amaryllidaceae	Allium cepa Onions	Rich organic	6.0-6.8	50�85 75 optimum	70-89	4	4-13	1/4-1/2
Cruciferae	Raphanus sativus Radishes	Loose well drained sandy loam	6.0-6.5	45-95 85 optimum	45-75 60�65 optimum	5	3-10	1/2-1 1/2
			6.5-8.0	50-85 85 optimum		4	7-14	1/2-1
Chenopodiaceae	Beta vulgaris Beets Swiss Chard		6.0-6.5	45-85 80 optimum		3	7-14	1/4
Umbelliferae	Daucus carota Carrots
Solanaceae	Solanum tuberosum Potatoes	Sandy loam good drainage	5.0�8.0 5.5 or lower for scab problem	50-60	60�80d 45�60n lower than 30 kills vine	1/2	—	8
Leguminosae	Phaseolus vulgaris Green and dry beans Phaseolus lunatus Lima beans	Well drained sandy loam	Snap and dry 6.0�7.0 6.4 optimum Lima 6.0�6.5 6.2 optimum	Snap and dry 60�85 Lima 70�85	60�70 80 max	3	5-17	2
	Pisum sativum Peas		5.5-6.8	40-75 75 optimum	55-70
Granimeae	Zea mays rugosa Sweet corn -praecox Popcorn	Any good rich	5.5-6.8	60-95	60 min 75�90 95 max	1-2	3-12	2-3
Solanaceae	Lycopersion esculentum Tomatoes	Sandy loam well drained	6.0-6.8	60-75	70�75d 50�55n	5-7	5-14	1/2
	Capsicum annuum Peppers	Deep loose and rich	5.5-7.0	60�95 85 optimum	75�85d 50�65n	2-4	6-28	1/2
Cucurbitaceae	Cucumbis sativis Cucumbers Cucurbita sp. Squash, pumpkins Cucumis melo Muskmelons Citrullus lanatus Watermelon	Rich and loose	7.0 Do poorly in acid soil	65�100 85�95 optimum	65-75           70-85	2-5	3-10	1/2

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March

When the forsythia blooms, you know it's time to prune your roses.

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April

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May

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June

Here's a wonderful recipe for the rhubarb growing at this time of year. It's easy to make and so delicious, it's sure to be a hit at the season's bbq's and potlucks.

Ann's Rhubarb Squares

Mix together the following 3 ingredients until crumbly.
Press into a 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F. (I usually leave it a little longer)

• 2 C. flour
• 1 C. butter
• 2/3 C. sugar

Whisk together:

• 4 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/2 C. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Add:

• 3 C. diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 C. coconut

Spread over first mixture and bake another 25 minutes at 350 F. I usually bake it a little longer so that it browns and crisps up a bit.

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July

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August

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September

If you have a lawn to repair or plant, September is one of the best times of year to plant grass seed. It is also an important time of year to fertilize your lawn to help it prepare for winter.

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September is also an ideal time to clean up the garden, start a compost corner to supply more organic matter to improve your garden soil, or trim and divide perennials.

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Sally has offered this recipe for ripe figs, from The Rural Shopper, Mid September, 2007.

Roast Figs with Cinnamon, Thyme and Honey

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. liquid honey

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. orange liqueur

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

12 ripe figs

1 tsp. thyme

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Put the honey, butter, liqueur and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the butter is melted.
Using a small sharp knife, make a cut like a cross in the top of each fig, cutting almost to the base.
Place them upright in a roasting pan, opening them a little as you go. Pour the liquid over each one. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle a bit of thyme over each fig. Return them to the oven, switch it off, leaving the door ajar. Leave the figs in the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with mascarpone cheese, custard or your favourite ice cream.

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October

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November

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December

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