Summer gardening calendar
These activities can be done on any day of the week — By Ellen Wells, Globe Correspondent
(Michael Pilla for The Boston Globe)
Gardening too tough on your knees? We've got help.
Monday
16
This week and next transplant into the garden: Brussels, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce.
Tuesday
17
Add color to your doorstep with containers of early spring annuals that can handle cold temperatures.
Wednesday
18
Watch the weather and bring containers inside on below-freezing nights.
Thursday
19
Put a 2- to 3-foot-wide mulch barrier, or ring, around trees to protect them from mowing equipment.
Friday
20
Earth Day! Commit to at least one eco-friendly gardening practice this season.
Saturday
21
Spray fruit trees to improve fruit set. Check with your garden professional for the proper materials.
Sunday
22
Gardening too tough on your knees? A raised bed brings the garden closer to you. Install one now to enjoy all season.
These guidelines are all dependent on Mother Nature, of course, and your location. For the Boston area, Zone 6 hardiness puts the last frost date around May 1. For Zone 5, add a week; Zone 4, add two. But that doesn't mean cold nights are gone for good. Keep a careful eye on your local weather forecast to watch for unseasonably cold temperatures. Find your USDA Hardiness Zone at
www.garden.org/zipzone.
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