Seasonal Calendar
A coastal garden runs on its own clock.
Twelve months of coastal San Diego rhythm — when to plant, when to prune, when to leave it alone, and what our crews handle on weekly visits.
January — Winter
The pruning month — structure decisions while everything sleeps.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Dormant pruning: roses, deciduous fruit, ornamental grasses cut back
- Bare-root planting window for fruit trees and roses
- Irrigation off or minimal; systems drained and inspected after storms
- Storm response: drainage checks, debris, staking young trees
Worth doing yourself
- Walk the garden after rain — note where water stands
- Sharpen and oil your pruners
February — Winter
Planning season. Design now, build in spring, enjoy by summer.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Pre-spring fertilization of turf and beds
- Prune hydrangeas, salvias, and late-winter cutbacks
- Weed germination control before the spring flush
- Design consultations peak — construction calendars fill for spring
Worth doing yourself
- Start your project conversation now if you want to swim by August
- Feed citrus
March — Spring
The coast wakes up. Planting season opens in earnest.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Major planting month — natives and Mediterranean stock establish fast
- Irrigation systems recommissioned and audited zone by zone
- Mulch top-up before the soil warms
- First mow-and-edge rhythm of the growing season
Worth doing yourself
- Refresh container plantings
- Watch for aphids on tender new growth
April — Spring
Peak bloom — and peak weeds. The garden earns its photographs.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Weekly growth pruning begins in earnest
- Seasonal color rotation: spring beds installed
- Smart controllers stepped up as evapotranspiration climbs
- Fertilize turf, feed roses mid-bloom
Worth doing yourself
- Deadhead spring bloomers weekly
- Check drip emitters while plants are visible
May — Spring
May gray. The fog waters the coast — controllers should know it.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Irrigation fine-tuning through the fog belt weeks
- Hedge and topiary shaping before summer heat
- Rose care: feeding and fungal watch through marine layer
- Hardscape construction season in full swing
Worth doing yourself
- Don't overwater during the marine layer
- Thin fruit on stone-fruit trees
June — Summer
June gloom outside, entertaining season on the calendar.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Outdoor living tune-up: lighting scenes, kitchen counters, pergola checks
- Summer mulch audit — moisture retention before real heat
- Turf aeration where compaction shows
- Pest patrol as nights warm
Worth doing yourself
- Test your landscape lighting before your first summer dinner
- Deep-water trees
July — Summer
Full summer. Water discipline separates good gardens from brown ones.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Irrigation at peak schedule — audited weekly on estate programs
- Light pruning only; no heavy cuts in heat
- Seasonal color swapped to heat performers
- Container and courtyard care intensifies
Worth doing yourself
- Water deeply, early morning, less often
- Hold off planting until fall
August — Summer
The hold-steady month — protect what June built.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Stress watch: irrigation triage on hot inland edges
- Palm care and cleanup
- Fire-season fuel management on slopes and canyon edges
- Fall planting plans drawn — the design office's second spring
Worth doing yourself
- Check for hydrophobic soil — water beading and running off
- Plan fall projects
September — Fall
The secret best planting month on the coast.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Fall planting opens: warm soil + cooling air = fastest establishment
- Overseed and renovate tired turf
- Irrigation stepped down as days shorten
- Santa Ana prep: staking, canopy thinning where needed
Worth doing yourself
- Plant natives now — they'll look established by spring
- Divide perennials
October — Fall
Native planting season peaks; the light turns gold.
On Bradley crews' lists
- California native installs at their annual peak
- Cool-season color rotation
- First-rain readiness: drainage, gutters-to-grade, erosion control on slopes
- Lighting timers adjusted as evenings arrive earlier
Worth doing yourself
- Refresh mulch before the rains
- Audit outdoor lighting for the darker months
November — Fall
Rain returns. The drainage you built in October gets its exam.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Storm-season monitoring begins on maintained properties
- Leaf management without scalping beds
- Irrigation largely off — controllers to rain-aware schedules
- Holiday lighting installs on estate programs
Worth doing yourself
- Watch slopes during first big rains
- Plant spring bulbs
December — Winter
The quiet month — assessment, planning, and rain-watching.
On Bradley crews' lists
- Annual landscape health reviews on Signature programs
- Dormant-season hardscape and lighting projects (permits allowing)
- Winter storm response on call
- Next year's design calendar opens
Worth doing yourself
- Book January design consultations before the spring rush
- Enjoy the garden resting
Twelve months is a lot of calendar. On a weekly maintenance program, all of it is our problem — that's rather the point.
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