The Gardening Year Through the Seasons

The Gardening Year

The reason gardening is such a perfect lifelong love? It combines nature, art, science, and healthy living. All the goodness of life is here!

And, if you experience this love, it’s natural to want to encourage others to dig in.

Dig. Sow. Watch. Learn. Experiment. Play, and notice how the changes in nature are triggered by the seasons.

Everything relies on everything else, and a change in one thing, enables changes in another.

When the first nectar flowers appear in spring, the bees that have been slumbering all winter long, respond to the increase in light and warmth, and take their first spring flights. The early flowers including dandelions and alliums provide nutrition, and, in exchange for nourishment, pollination occurs.

This is just one of millions of examples.

Seasonal Garden Tasks

First, let’s look at the big picture: an overview of each season.

This started out as a checklist for my own use, but, as I get quite a few emails asking about this stuff, I thought you might enjoy it too.

If you like a copy of this, it is now available in my shop (worldwide shipping).

Spring

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party.'”
~Robin Williams

• Start seeds indoors | Seed Starting Tips
• Tap trees for sap | How to Tap Trees
• Set up nesting boxes | Free Nesting Box Plans
• Sow cool-loving veggies | Cool Weather Veggie Growing
• Prepare seedlings for planting | How to Harden Off Seedlings
• Plant seedlings and sow seeds outdoors
• Propagate tender cuttings | Seasonal Cuttings List

Summer

“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.”
~Jenny Han

• Grow more plants
• Take garden photos
• Propagate semi-ripe cuttings | Seasonal Cuttings List
• Start fall veggie garden seeds | How to Grow Veggies in Winter
• Savor beautiful days

Fall

“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.”
~Unknown

• Harvest fruits & veggies
• Save seeds | The Birds Know When to Save Seeds
• Propagate hardwood cuttings  | Seasonal Cuttings List
• Divide and move plants
• Plant fall-winter veggie garden | How to Grow Veggies in Winter
• Plant spring-flowering bulbs | 20 Flowering Bulbs to Plant in Fall
• Store tender plants | Fall Garden Checklist
• Winterize pond and patio
• Setup winter bird feeding stations | Winter Wild Bird Care

Winter

“Kindness is like snow—It beautifies everything it covers.”
~Kahlil Gibran

• Force indoor flowering bulbs | Indoor Bulb Forcing Schedule
• Grow and indoor salad garden | Grow Salads Indoors
• Warm spell? Water winter veggies and container plants
• Prune apple trees | When to Prune and Deadhead
• Plan next year’s garden | Garden Journals Make Better Gardeners
• Order seeds | Seed Companies in Canada and United States
• Dream good garden dreams

There’s lots more you could do, of course, but that covers lots of the basics.

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Want your own? The Gardening Year is available in posters, prints, spiral bound journals, phone and tablet skins, tote bags, and more.

Monthly Garden Tasks

These lists are packed with gardening ideas, DIY projects, and ways to enjoy the unique offerings of each season.

No two gardens (or gardeners) are the same, of course, but I am certain by browsing these lists that you will come up with plenty of ideas for your garden. Take the spark and make it unique!

January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December

	January Garden Tasks January garden tasks for cold-climate gardeners may include some winter maintenance, indoor growing, crafts and DIY projects, plus dreaming and scheming for the active growing season ahead.
	February Garden Tasks February is a short month but a tough one for us cold-climate gardeners. We know the growing season is coming but it’s still a few months away. These February tasks will keep your garden spirit alive.
	March Garden Tasks For cold-climate gardeners, March means we’re getting close! Spring gardening is on its way. Now is the time to get seeds started indoors and create some garden art for a fresh, new start.
	April Garden Tasks As spring arrives in the cold-climate garden, April is the time to work slowly and patiently. See what you can do this month in the garden.
	May Garden Tasks For some cold-climate gardeners, May marks the month of the last frost for the winter and the warming of the garden soil.
	June Garden Tasks June is a busy time for cold-climate gardeners. It’s time to plant, create, and visit other gardens for inspiration.
	July Garden Tasks If you live in a cold climate, July may be the time to enjoy the summer garden at its peak. Flowers everywhere! Veggies and fruits are thriving. Lots of bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators flitting about. Have a look at garden tasks you can do in July.
	August Garden Tasks For cold-climate gardeners, August is the month that toggles between summer and fall. It’s the time to prepare for fall and winter vegetable gardening, harvest, craft, and enjoy time outdoors. It all flies by so fast. See some garden tasks you can get done in August.
	September Garden Tasks Fall marks the time in the garden for endings and new beginnings. September garden tasks include harvesting the summer crops, and, preparing the garden for winter.
	October Garden Tasks October is a busy time in the garden. There is plenty to harvest, sow, prepare, protect, and get crafty with! Have a look at ideas for things to get done before the winter weather moves in.
	November Garden Tasks As fall turns to winter, and freezing temperatures set in, November is a quieter time in the four-season garden. It’s a time to get caught up on some nice-to-be-done tasks, craft from the garden, and prepare for the growing season ahead.
	December Garden Tasks What’s happening in the December garden in a cold climate? Cool weather veggies are tucked under their covers, and fresh salad greens are growing indoors. Plus, the beauty of snow and ice offers many opportunities to get creative with garden art and decor.

January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December

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I hope you’ve found lots of ideas. Life is short. Grow what you love and get crafty.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛