Garden calendar: what to do in the garden and when
What do you need to do in the garden this month? Choose a month and immediately see what you can prune, plant and protect.
This calendar is a guideline and not a guarantee. The right time depends on your plant, your location, and the weather that year. No rights can be derived from this overview.
January
Often the coldest month. Check your winter protection and plan the new gardening year.
Protect figs and olives
Cover fig trees and olive trees with jute or fleece during frost. Also read how to prepare an olive tree for winter.
Prune apples and pears
Prune apple trees and pear trees while they are dormant. Do not prune too much at once, so the tree retains its shape.
Cut back the leaves of the Christmas rose
Cut back old leaves at the base of the Christmas rose. This helps prevent leaf spot and makes the flowers easier to see.
Keep an eye on houseplants
Heating dries out the air and potting soil. Check your houseplants regularly, and read how often to water a houseplant.
Clean pots
Clean empty pots so they are ready for spring. Ready for something new? View our decorative pots.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
February
The days are getting longer. Now is the last chance for some pruning tasks.
Prune wisteria
Cut back the side shoots of your wisteria to two or three buds. This helps flowering.
Winter bloomers and hedges
Prune shrubs that have bloomed in winter. You can now cut back an overgrown deciduous hedge from the hedges and hedges section.
Cut back ornamental grasses
At the end of the month, cut back deciduous ornamental grasses to make room for new growth.
Protect fruit from birds and frost
Buds and blossoms on fruit trees are sensitive as soon as they begin to open. Protect them with fleece during frost and with netting against birds.
Prepare the vegetable garden
As soon as the soil is no longer frozen, prepare the seedbeds. Also check our vegetable garden plants.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
March
Spring is beginning. Many plants can now be cut back.
Prune roses
Prune shrub and climbing roses. This keeps the plant healthy and produces more flowers.
Prune butterfly bush
Cut back the butterfly bush considerably. It blooms on new wood, so it will grow back strongly.
Cut back perennials and grasses
Cut back what has remained standing over winter, such as perennials and ornamental grasses.
Split large clumps
Dig up clumps of perennials that have become too large and divide them. This keeps them strong and gives you free plants.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
April
Everything is growing again, but night frost is still possible.
Protect blossom from late frost
Cover fruit in bloom if night frost is expected. Blossom is much more sensitive than the tree itself.
Water houseplants more
Plants are growing again and need more water. Time for a larger pot? Calculate the pot size and potting soil.
Weed and split bamboo
Remove weeds before they smother young plants. You can now split bamboo that has become too large.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
May
The gardening season has begun, but watch out for the last night frost.
Watch out for late night frost
Only bring frost-sensitive plants outside once the risk of frost has passed. Check the hardiness guide to see which plants these are.
Plant summer plants
At the end of the month, plant summer bloomers in the border and in pots on your balcony, except in cold regions.
Water wisely
Water early in the morning or late in the evening, when less evaporates. Collecting rainwater also helps.
Look first, then cut
Check carefully whether birds are nesting before you cut a hedge. If there is a nest, wait.
Divide spring bulbs
Dig up dense clumps of daffodils and other spring bulbs and divide them.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
June
Full growth. Watering is now the most important task.
Fill pots and hanging baskets
Fill pots with summer bloomers, herbs, or evergreens. Calculate here how much potting soil you need.
Water judiciously
It is better to water thoroughly every now and then than a little every day. Read more in our guide on watering.
Prune spring bloomers
You can now prune many shrubs that bloomed in spring. This gives them time to produce new flower buds.
Support tall plants
Give tall or floppy perennials a stake or support in time, before they fall over.
Bring frost-sensitive plants outside
The nights are now mild, so Mediterranean plants and other frost-sensitive plants can also go outside.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
July
The garden is in full bloom. Enjoy the flowers and do not forget the pots.
Water pots and new plants
Potted plants dry out quickly. Place a saucer under the pot, so the water stays better around the roots.
Houseplants on holiday
Most houseplants will survive for a few days. Going away for longer? Keep them out of the sun and water them thoroughly beforehand.
Check clematis
Is a clematis suddenly drooping? It could be wilt disease. Cut away affected stems.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
August
Time for summer pruning and the first harvest.
Prune wisteria
Cut back the long shoots of your wisteria to about five or six leaves. This is the summer pruning.
Prune espalier fruit
Prune apples and pears into an espalier or fan shape. This allows more sun to reach the fruit.
Thin out raspberries
Cut away the stems that bore fruit at ground level on summer raspberries.
Water and remove spent flowers
Keep watering pots and new plants, preferably with rainwater, and cut away spent flowers.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
September
The soil is still warm. A good month for planting.
Plant spring bulbs
Plant daffodils, crocuses and other spring bulbs now. Tulips follow later in autumn.
Split perennials
Divide large clumps of perennials. This keeps them strong and gives you new plants.
Pick autumn raspberries
Pick autumn raspberries regularly, on a dry day, and when they come off easily.
Water new plants
Newly planted plants still need water in September, especially if it remains dry.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
October
The first frost is approaching. Time to prepare plants for winter.
Bring frost-sensitive plants indoors
Place them in a bright, frost-free spot and keep the potting soil slightly moist. Check the hardiness guide for each plant to see what is needed.
Tidy up perennials
Cut away anything rotten or fallen over, but also leave some stems. These provide food and shelter for animals in winter.
Cut the hedge for the last time
In mild regions, you can cut your hedge one more time. A new hedge? Calculate how many plants you need.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
November
The garden goes dormant. Protect your pots and plant the last bulbs.
Plant tulips
Now is the time for tulip bulbs, in the border or in a pot, for colour in spring.
Put pots on feet
Put pots on pot feet so they do not sit in water when it rains heavily.
Wrap pots
Protect outdoor pots with jute or bubble wrap. This is how you do it with an olive tree and a potted palm tree.
Tidy up leaves
Remove leaves from the lawn and out of the pond. They can stay in the border.
Winter colour in a pot
Add colour to pots with hardy plants from our evergreens. Please note: not all plants are safe for pets, check it here.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
December
A quiet time in the garden. Check that everything is prepared for winter.
Check winter protection
Check that fleece, support poles and the protection around pots are still securely fastened after storms or rain.
Prune acers and grapevines in time
Do you need to prune a Japanese maple or grapevine? Do it before Christmas to reduce bleeding.
Prune apples and pears
You can prune free-standing apple and pear trees now, but not espalier fruit trees.
Plant trees and shrubs
As long as the ground is not frozen, you can still plant or transplant shrubs and trees.
Water houseplants less
Houseplants barely grow in winter. So water them sparingly and let the potting soil dry out occasionally.
Based on the RHS monthly tips.
How to use the garden calendar
Select the month at the top to see the most important tasks for indoors, the garden and the patio. The calendar automatically opens to the current month. Is it exceptionally cold or warm? Feel free to postpone a task for a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions about the garden calendar
Where do these tips come from?
We have used the monthly tips from the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as a basis and selected what is suitable for our plants. The British climate is similar to ours, but it can be colder in the Netherlands.
Does this also apply to Belgium?
Yes, as a guideline. How the weather turns out varies from year to year and from place to place. Therefore, also consider what your plant does itself and the weather forecast.
Which plants should I protect in winter?
This varies from plant to plant. Use the hardiness guide to find your plant and see what it needs, in the ground or in a pot.
How exactly do I prune?
The calendar tells you when. How you do it varies from plant to plant. For example, read how to prune an olive tree or prune a palm tree.