A Seasonal Landscape Checklist for South Louisiana

What to do in each season on a Gulf South property, from spring bed prep to hurricane-season pruning and winter cold protection.

Spring

• Re-cut bed lines and refresh mulch to two or three inches.
• Prune spring bloomers only after they finish flowering.
• Check irrigation heads and adjust for the growing season.

Summer

• Raise mow height — taller grass shades its own roots.
• Water deeply and less often to push roots down.
• Watch beds after hard rain and correct any spot that holds water.

Hurricane season

Thin dense tree canopies so wind can pass through rather than pushing the whole tree. Remove deadwood before a storm is on the forecast, not after.

Fall and winter

• Plant trees and shrubs — cooler soil is the best time to establish roots.
• Cover tender tropicals ahead of a hard freeze and water beds before the front arrives.
• Cut back frost-damaged growth only after the last freeze has passed.