Since February 26, 1995, I have been maintaining a private gardening notebook on my computer tailored to the needs of my Durham, NC home. Slow to enter the world of blogging, I realized in late January that in addition to other online resources and teaching I've done on topics such as organic gardening, growing and showing roses, and building raised beds, a gardening blog may benefit me by allowing me to put pictures along with text to describe the happenings in my garden, and may help others in their own gardens. I'm going to try putting this year's garden notes online in this blog and see if both my and others' purposes are served.

My notes are tailored to my home in Durham, NC, USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7B with an average annual minimum temperature of 5-10°F (-12.3 to -14.9 °C). Below is my summary I've put together to guide my gardening activities.

    JAN Rose: dormant spray (lime sulfur)
    JAN Potted bulbs: if they have sprouts, put in a sunny window and water
    JAN 15-MAR 15 Rose: plant new bareroot roses
    FEB (early) Fruit trees: prune in late winter or early spring while
      dormant (apples to central leader, peaches/plums to vase)
    DEC-FEB: Weeping cherry: if wish to prune, do in dormant season or early Aug
    FEB Rose: prune hybrid teas to 24-36" high, leave 5-6 canes, use wood glue
    FEB Potted blooming bulbs: move from sun so flowers last longer
    FEB Potted bulbs: Bring more out of storage
    FEB Bulbs: lightly fertilize (optional)
    FEB Evergreens: fertilize
    FEB Fragrant Winter Honeysuckle: lightly fertilize
    FEB Forsythia and other flowering shrubs: cut branch if want to
      force indoors in water - keep in cool room till bloom
    FEB 15:  Grass: 1st of 3 fertilizations (Val.Day, Labor Day, Thanksg.)
    LATE FEB/EARLY MAR: Trim top 1/3 off of lavender bushes
    LATE FEB/EARLY MAR  Grass: pre-emergence crabgrass herbicide (after
      forsythia have bloomed and before dogwoods have bloomed)
    LATE FEB/EARLY MAR Peach: dissolve 1T epsom salts in water and apply
    FEB (late)  Prune overgrown shrubbery - privet, photinia (red tip), holly
    FEB (late)  Fertilize shrubs and trees
    FEB-MAR Fruit trees/berry bushes: dormant oil spray as per specific
      plant once temp. remains over 45 degF
    MAR-JUL  All: unless other instructions, feed monthly once begins 
      actively growing
    MAR (early)  Crapemyrtle: prune, if want; remove oldest canes
    MAR (early)  Lawn: apply organic pre-emergent A-maizing Lawn
    MAR (early)  Fruit trees: prune in late winter/early spring; remove
      half of bushy limb growth from peaches
    MAR (early) Evergreens: if want to guard against disease, in late
      winter spray with soap+tobacco juice+mouthwash
    MAR (early) Azaleas and camellias: fertilize just before they blossom
    MAR (early) Fruit trees and weeping cherry: dormant oil spray before
      buds swell and open; may also spray berries
    MAR (early-mid): Blueberry: remove a few of the older canes
    MAR Butterfly Bush: cut back last year's growth within 3-4" of old wood
    MAR Fragrant Winter Honeysuckle: prune after flowering for shape/size
    MAR (mid) Hollies: fertilize 
    MAR (mid) Trees: fertilize; for fruit trees, try mulch+manure
    MAR (mid-late) Lawn: will be time for first mowing and weekly thereafter
    EARLY SPRING Peach: (optional) thin bushy limb grwth by 1/2 (mature tree)
    SPRING  Jumbo Blackberries: prune some side branches to keep from tangles
    SPRING  Crepe Myrtle: light fertilization (1 of 2)
    MAR Rose: optionally uncover mulch, add 3" cow manure, replace mulch
    MAR (late) Lawn: apply organic N-Lite organic fertilizer
    MAR (late) Peach: once blossoms open, spray insect.+fungic. ?
    MAR (late) Strawberry: 1/3 ounce 3-1-2 fertilizer per plant before blossm
    MAR 15-AUG 10  Rose: use balanced fert. monthly - NO FERT AFTER AUG 10
    APRIL Bulbs: cut off faded daffodils - deadhead to base; fertilize bulbs
    APRIL Flowering Almond: after flowering, prune 1/2-1/3 new growth and fert.
    APRIL Holly: while flowering can prune so don't remove all berries
    APRIL Rose: 1 cup Sulfate of Potash Magnesia per bush
    APRIL Rose: As leaves emerge, treat with fungicide
    APRIL (early)  Forsythia: fertilize
    APRIL (mid)   Quince: prune immed after bloom to about 6" from ground
    APRIL (mid-late)  Forsythia: immed aft.blm prune 1/3 oldest canes to ground
    APR 1 - OCT 31  Rose: spray every 10 days
    APR Evergreens: fertilize
    APR 3rd WEEK  Rose: pull mulch below graft after danger of frost
    APR (late) Peach: spray insect.+fungic. ? (2nd of 5 March - July)
    APR (late) Prune any winter damaged branches of any plants
    LATE SPRING  Jumbo blackberries: fertilize
    MAY Azalea: after blooming remove spent blooms & prune; pinch tips if want
      to make bushier (use fingertips); fertilize w/ something like 8-8-12
    MAY Burning Bush: if want, can prune; top narrower than base
    MAY Camellias: if want, can cut back weak or unwanted branches
    MAY (late) Peach: spray insect.+fungic. ? (3rd of 5 March - July)
    EARLY SUMMER  Jumbo blackberries: fertilize
    EARLY SUMMER  Hostas: fertilize as foliage plant (maybe 16-8-8)
    JUNE (early) Peach: hand pinch or prune 3" off end of each soft leafy shoot
    JUN Evergreens: fertilize
    JUN Fragrant Winter Honeysuckle: lightly fertilize
    JUN Azalea: monthly like 8-8-12 fertization after bloom through early fall
    JUN Kerria Japonica: cut back flowered shoots, remove few oldest branches
    JUN Fruit trees: remove water sprouts
    JUN (late) Peach: spray insect.+fungic. ? (4th of 5 March - July)
    SUMMER  Jumbo blackberries: when cane done fruiting, prune to ground
    SUMMER  Crepe Myrtle: light fertilization (2 of 2)
    MID-SUMMER  Jumbo blackberries: tip to 3-4' to force lateral branching
    JUL Azalea: monthly like 8-8-12 fertization after bloom through early fall
    JUL 4: No more significant pruning till Christmas except roses (as 
      necessary), blackberry/raspberry and dogwood if needed
    JUL (late) Peach: repeat hand pinching if side shoots grow strongly
    JUL (late) Peach: spray insect.+fungic. ? (5th of 5 March - July)
    JUL or AUG Dogwood: avoid ever pruning, but if good reason, now is when
    AUG (early): Weeping cherry: if wish to prune, do when dormant or early Aug
    AUG Evergreens: fertilize
    AUG Azalea: monthly like 8-8-12 fertization after bloom through early fall
    AUG Plum (and peach?): spray trunks & limbs w/ cholorpyrifos
    AUG 10 Rose: no more fertilization till next spring
    FALL  Jumbo blackberries: after dormant cut lateral branches to 16-18"
    SEP Azalea: monthly like 8-8-12 fertization after bloom through early fall
    SEP 15:  Grass: 2nd of 3 fertilizations (Val.Day, Labor Day, Thanksg.)
    SEP (late)/OCT (1st week) Grass: reseed
    SEP-OCT Pot spring bulbs to force for indoor show
    OCT Weeping Cherry: once all leaves gone, dormant oil spray
    OCT Evergreens: fertilize (optional last feeding)
    OCT Take annual soil sample for county agricultural analysis
    NOV Rose: lime established beds and prepare any new beds
    NOV If soil test indicates, good time to apply lime in general
    NOV Plant bulbs
    NOV 15:  Grass: 3rd of 3 fertilizations (Val.Day, Labor Day, Thanksg.)
    DEC Rose: cut back to waist high
    LATE FALL  Fruit trees and weeping cherry: dormant oil spray as soon
      as all leaves dropped; may also spray berries
    DEC (early-mid)  Evergreens: optionally spray with CloudCover
    DEC 15-31 Rose: mound mulch 6" over graft
    WINTER  Holly: lightly prune if wish