formerly University of Missouri-Rolla

Fall Season, Norwood Hall

What is the Landscape Services Doing This Month?

January

  • Composting
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Start planning for what summer annuals you want to install
  • Finalize replacement tree list for Spring plantings
  • Mulch shrub and tree beds
  • Order and purchase any new tools and supplies
  • Snow and ice removal as weather requires
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance : clean and oil

 

February

  • Composting
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Cut back ornamental grasses:  miscanthus
  • Cut back Siberian iris
  • Cut spireae to 6-8”
  • Mulch shrubs and trees if you didn’t get them done already
  • Prune all crape myrtles to 10”- 18”
  • Prune Rose ‘Knock Out’
  • Snow and ice removal as weather requires
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil

 

March

  • Decide final annual designs
  • Conduct soil tests on all flower beds
  • Cut back ornamental grasses and other perennials that were left for winter interest
  • Cut hibiscus to the ground
  • Cut Russian sage to 6”
  • Dead leaf Acanthus spinosus (Bear’s Breeches)
  • Divide and transplant ornamental grasses
  • Mow or trim lirope in beds
  • Plant spring bulbs
  • Press back any heaved perennials/shrubs from cold weather
  • Refresh mulch on beds as needed
  • Remove dead leaves from evergreens
  • Soil test beds including organic content and micronutrients
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Top dress garden and ground cover areas with slow-release fertilizer
  • Mow season begins
  • Trash removal

 

April

  • Add compost to beds
  • Aerate as needed in turf and bed areas
  • Cut back grasses: Pennisetum
  • Cut Russian sage by ½ when 12” tall
  • Cut back spring flowering bulbs after foliage fades
  • Divide and transplant perennials when growth is 3-4” high
  • Divide lirope if needed
  • Fertilize hibiscus
  • Fertilizing, top dressing and mulching that wasn’t completed in March
  • Pinch perennials
  • Scout for Powdery Mildew and spray if needed
  • Stake perennials and large annuals as they emerge (peonies, hibiscus, ect.)
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Weeding – weed well in Spring to save time in Summer!
  • Mow, mow, mow
  • Trash removal

 

May

  • All annual plantings plant after May 15 and should be completed by end of May
  • Keep records of new plantings
  • Move or remove any unwanted perennial seedlings
  • Prune off any growth damaged from late frosts
  • Pruning for height control
  • Remove seed heads of Siberian iris
  • Slug bait hostas
  • Spray daylilies for rust
  • Spray for bagworms in evergreen shrubs
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Transplanting and division of spring flowering perennials can be done after flowering.
  • Transplanting and division of summer and autumn flowering perennials
  • Weeding – thistle and dandelion are coming!
  • Spray broadleaves in lawn areas
  • Continue to mow
  • Trash removal

 

June

  • All perennial planting should be completed by mid-June
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs:  Maples
  • Cut back purple cone-flower by ½ to control height
  • Cut hibiscus by 1/2
  • Dead leaf perennials
  • Deadhead iris
  • Fertilize all ground cover beds (slow release fertilizer)
  • Fertilize azaleas (acidify every 2 weeks)
  • Fertilize winterberry (acidify every 2 weeks)
  • Monitor flower beds for insect and diseases – spray as needed
  • Pruning for height control in flowers
  • Shear down declining foliage of spring perennials
  • Shear soapwort by ½ to keep compact after bloom
  • Prune declining blooms off of spirea for rebloom
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil

 

July

  • Begin to trim and cut back flowers (annuals and perennials) for aesthetic reasons
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs: dogwood
  • Cut all Echinacea purpurea by 1/3 – this will cause flowering to delay until fall
  • Cut back all daylily stems when flowering is complete –back to basal foliage
  • Dead head perennials:  especially hosta, salvia, rudbeckia
  • Fertilize all ground cover beds (slow release)
  • Fertilize azaleas (acidify every 2 weeks)
  • Fertilize winterberry (acidify every 2 weeks)
  • Pruning for height control in flowers
  • Prune old blooms off of spirea for rebloom
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

 

August

  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Cut Russian sage blooms by 1/3 to prolong bloom through autumn
  • Deleaf or shear daylilies 6-8”
  • Design any fall bulb plantings for spring
  • Divide iris as needed
  • Finalize any replacement tree list for Fall
  • Mulch shrubs and trees as needed
  • Order fall bulbs
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Trim and cut back annuals and perennials for aesthetic reasons
  • Begin to wean plants from fertilization

 

September

  • Apply touch-up mulch
  • Bed preparation for any bulb planting
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Division and transplanting of spring and summer flowering perennials, complete by end of month to ensure establishment
  • Fall plantings of chrysanthemums or ornamental cabbage
  • Generally no more fertilizer until spring
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil
  • Mowing may pick up with cooler tempertures on cool season turf areas
  • Trash removal

 

October

  • All divisions and transplanting should be complete by this month
  • Top dress all beds with 2-3” of compost
  • As annuals are removed, pot up tender bulbs and move indoors:  cannas, elephant ears
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Leaf removal
  • Mowing slows down
  • Mulch shrubs and trees
  • Mulch tender plants once the ground is frozen
  • No more perennial planting after October 15th.
  • Plant fall bulbs
  • Scout for corrective pruning on young trees and shrubs
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil

 

November

  • Composting
  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Cut back grasses:  calamagratis
  • Double check that all bed irrigation has been removed or blown-out
  • Leaf removal
  • Mulch shrubs and trees
  • Order spring bulb plantings
  • Prune perennials this month
  • Recycle or return used pots
  • Snow and ice removal as weather requires
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil

 

December

  • Corrective pruning on trees and shrubs
  • Design any summer annual beds or pots
  • Mulch shrubs and trees
  • Snow and ice removal as weather requires
  • Tool and general equipment maintenance: clean and oil