We’re here to make this the easiest year you’ve ever had in the garden! This calendar is full of tips and resources to make sure you’re successful this year and set yourself up for a year of gorgeous blooms and foliage next year.

Spring

• Remove any damaged, dead or diseased stems as soon as you start to see them. Also remove branches that may cross and rub against one another.
• Prune spring blooming trees and shrubs, like lilacs and azaleas, right after they finish flowering in spring.
• Shape (also called selectively prune) summer blooming shrubs like potentilla, spirea, barberry, buddleia, hibiscus, panicle hydrangea, ninebark, and vitex by removing up to one third of the oldest shoots all the way to the ground to improve vigor.
• Prune crapemyrtle and panicle hydrangeas while dormant to encourage new growth and strong branch development to support heavy blooms.
• Do a little light shaping of broadleaf evergreen shrubs such as loropetalum and distylium. Generally these plants will not require much pruning.
• Remove winter protective mulch once you’re past the last frost. This is different for everyone and may be different each year, so keep your eye on the local weather.
• Boost your shrub or tree’s growth by adding some fertilizer in late spring. Our planting and care guide has tips on fertilizing, so make sure to check it out.
• If you’re looking to plant a completely new shrub in your landscape, you can shop the First Editions^® collection online or use our Find a Retailer tool to locate garden centers with First Editions^® near you.

Summer

• Continue watering based off of how much your plant requires. Learn more from our blog on watering shrubs and trees.
• Mulch your plants that require more water to keep moisture in the soil.
• Deadhead early. Plants like butterfly bush, spirea, Eclipse^® Bigleaf Hydrangea, and crapemyrtles can be deadheaded to promote their rebloom in late summer and early fall.
• Have some fun in your garden by using your plants in cut flower arrangements and DIY projects! Our First Editions^® decor guide has all the inspiration you need to get started.

Fall

• Stop deadheading and fertilizing. Both of these actions can spur new growth, which is something you don’t want to encourage while the weather cools down.
• Continue watering adequately until frost.
• Cover the crown of your plants with oak leaves, mulch, or pine needles for winter protection.
• Fall is also an excellent time to do some planting before the temperatures cool off, so make sure to check out our fall planting guide to learn more.
• Bring some fall flair to your home by cutting and drying panicle hydrangea blooms for DIY projects throughout the fall and winter!

Winter

• Utilize our blog on prepping for winter to ensure you’ve done all you can to take care of your shrubs and trees this winter.
• Use Neon Burst^™ Dogwood, Wildfire^™ Winterberry and dried hydrangea blooms for winter arrangements and holiday containers. Check out our First Editions^® decor guide for more DIY inspiration.
• Enjoy the snowfall on First Editions^® evergreens.
• Use the time indoors to start planning for spring. Make sure to use our spring planning blog as a guide when you start brainstorming for next year!

For even more tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter. Shop the First Editions^® collection online during our shipping season or utilize our Find a Retailer tool to locate First Editions^® plants near you.