Written by: Jan Dash, Colorado Master Gardener

A list of garden tasks by month can be found on the Pueblo SHED (Supporters of Horticultural Education) website here: https://puebloshed.org/gardening-calendar/. An internet search also provides lists of monthly gardening tasks. Double-check the growing zone they are referring to (USDA plant hardiness zones can be found here: https://planthardinessarssda.gov.). For in-depth discussions about any of the following checklist items be sure to visit the CSU Extension website at https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden and select the desired publication.

If you have limited time in your garden, controlling weeds and pesky insects, maintaining a healthy height for your lawn, and providing sufficient water are a must.

Ongoing – May through September

• Control weeds in flower and vegetable beds and lawns.
• Mow lawns to a height of about 3 inches; mulch clippings and leave on the lawn.
• Water lawns as needed; lawns may need 2.5 inches of water or more per week.
• Overseed lawn bare spots.
• Water plants daily if needed. Try to do this in the morning, especially for vegetables and herbs.
• Hand-pick and/or spray insects when you see them.
• Save seeds from the best performing plants for planting next year.
• Remove dead wood from trees as it becomes apparent.

June

• Fertilize seedlings as needed.
• Mulch beds, gardens and trees.
• Finish pruning your spring-flowering shrubs this month.
• Examine your fruit trees and consider thinning some of the fruits.
• Start your regular lawn and garden irrigation.
• Replant warm season seeds that did not germinate.
• Monitor gardens for pests such as grasshoppers. Catch and kill the young nymphs before they can mature. Refer to CSU Extension fact sheet 5.536 for suggestions on grasshopper control.
• Set up a rain barrel or two if you don’t already have one (see CSU Extension fact sheet 6.707).
• Consider adding a compost bin to a corner of your garden. See CSU Extension fact sheet Number 7.212 for more information.

July

• Start cool season crop seeds indoors late in July.
• Prune and shape non-spring flowering shrubs and hedges.
• Cut back non-fruiting blackberry and raspberry canes.
• Remove tomato suckers and prune plants to select the best fruiting branches.
• Cut back the top inch or two of new growth on fall perennials early in July.
• Replenish mulch in beds and around trees.
• Inspect lawn for dry and/or stressed areas and adjust, repair or replace sprinkler heads.
• Apply fertilizer to the lawn, hanging baskets and container plants.
• Divide daylilies and irises.

August

• Plant cool season vegetables.
• Remove seed heads from plants you don’t want to self-seed.
• Remove spent vegetable plants and dropped fruits to the compost bin to discourage pests and disease.