Principle No. 7

No garden is maintenance-free. Even xeriscape designs need regular, seasonal maintenance to preserve their beauty. 

Spring

• Work compost into the soil and replace / add mulch
• Aerate lawns and check sprinkler systems
• Mow lawns to a height of 3 inches
• Prune evergreen shrubs
• Plant trees and shrubs

Summer

• Plant annuals (and fertilize bi-weekly to monthly for more blooms)
• Control pests and eliminate weeds
• Trim dead flower heads

Fall

• Apply lawn fertilizer
• Compost leaves and other green plant matter
• Water new plants

Winter

• Prune deciduous trees and late-blooming deciduous shrubs
• If there is no precipitation and day-time temperatures reach 40 degrees, water root zones of plants