Basic Watering Guidelines:
Trees: With a hose running at a moderate flow rate, flood the root ball area for +/- 10 minutes
every 7 days, if possible, to ensure moisture is regularly available to the roots. Evergreen trees especially will appreciate
continued watering late into the autumn months, as late as November or December.
Shrubs: With a hose running at a moderate flow rate, flood the root ball area
for +/- 1 minute on each shrub every 5-7 days. Once the root ball area is saturated, continue on to the next shrub and repeat.
The watering schedule should continue throughout the entire growing season, which would typically extend into the late autumn
months. Again, evergreen shrubs will appreciate late season watering prior to winter storage.
Perennials and Groundcovers: Perennials and groundcovers have root
systems that tend to be shallower than the root systems of trees and shrubs. For this reason, perennials and groundcovers
can dry out quicker, especially in times of drought. Apply water to perennials and groundcovers in the previously described
manner every 3-5 days during dry periods, or every 5-7 days when trees and shrubs are being watered.
Should we experience a rainy season, typically in the spring or fall, suspend the watering schedule for
as long as 7-10 days after the last significant rainfall. The time frame the watering schedule should be relaxed is relative
to the duration and intensity of a rainy season.
With all bedding plants,
it is important to maintain adequate mulch cover, usually a depth of about 2”. We suggest using an organic double or
triple processed mulch to cover the bedding.
The mulch cover will assist
in maintaining and retaining moisture for extended periods of time and insulating the root zones of plants from both extreme
heat and extreme cold. In addition, a good mulch cover will help deter the germination of weeds.
Fertilization of plantings goes hand in hand with watering. In many cases, the existing soil condition
may not be sufficient to sustain optimum health for plants without being supplemented. All plants appreciate and will use
nutrients when they are applied. A minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 applications of a standard analysis 12-12-12 or 20-20-20
are suitable.
Apply around the base of plants before watering as early
as late March and as late as November, if you wish. After the second growing season passes, you can cease fertilization unless
the plant shows signs of struggling.
The first two seasons are the most
critical to the successful establishment of your plantings. Neglecting your plantings early could result in poorly performing
plants or plants that never truly establish themselves and fall victim to disease or insect infestation.
Please keep in mind that struggling, under-watered, and under-nourished plants become targets for pests
and diseases.
Watering and fertilizing plants is by no means intended
to be your new career. Please view it as an investment in your home and the health of your new garden and you can expect great
success and beauty in your garden for years to come.
Pruning:
There are several reasons one would endeavor into the pruning of trees, shrubs, and
groundcovers. This is a reasonably extensive topic, and we will give some basic guidelines.
Pruning equipment:
* By-pass loppers: By-pass loppers are typically used for selective pruning of large branches
of +/- ½” or larger. Many types of loppers can cut limbs or branches up to 1 ½” diameter.
* By-pass hand pruners: By-pass
hand pruners are typically used for the selective pruning of limbs and branches smaller than +/- ½”.
* Saws: Saws are used in most cases for pruning limbs and branches to large to prune with
other types of pruning equipment. There are a variety of saws that are available. A folding saw will do the job quite well
and be very versatile.
* Shears:
Shears, whether hand or power, are for the wholesale pruning of plant material. They are the fastest way to prune or shape
shrubs with narrow branches or limbs. Shears are also the least selective way to prune and could contribute to long-term stress
on the plant resulting from cuts, which are not clean.
* Pole pruners: Pole pruners afford the opportunity to prune large shrubs or small trees
without the need of a ladder. Pole pruners typically incorporate both a by-pass lopper and a saw, and are extendable.
In all cases, your pruning equipment should always be SHARP AND CLEAN before beginning
your pruning. Please invest in quality equipment. Good equipment will last you a lifetime and reflect in the overall results
of your pruning.
Pruning techniques:
Generally speaking, it is better to prune with loppers or hand pruners
than with shears. Shears do not always make a clean cut and you are not taking into account cutting above the nearest bud
or node. When pruning small branches, make a clean diagonal cut just above a node or bud.
It is very important to make a cut clean and not tear the bark. Tearing the bark may not only scar the
plant, but also make the plant susceptible to insect or disease by opening up the outer tissue of the plant, similar to cutting
your skin.
When cutting a large branch, prune the limb as close to the
trunk as possible with the blade of the pruners or loppers against the trunk. Pruning large limbs may require more than one
cut to prevent the weight of the branch from causing the bark to tear when the limb falls.
In this case, cut the majority of the branch approximately 12” above your final cut. Once this
cut is made, remove the remainder of the stub.
If you are using a saw
to prune, it is extremely important to use good technique to keep from causing extensive damage to the bark of your tree or
shrub.
ALWAYS make a small cut with the saw on the under side of the
limb as close to the trunk or main branch as possible. This will prevent the limb, as it falls away from the plant, from tearing
away the bark.
Then proceed with cutting the limb on the topside attempting
to meet your previous cut on the bottom. If possible, try to hold the limb so it does not fall away and damage the remaining
plant.
Pruning for transplanting:
Should you desire to transplant a tree, shrub, or perennial in your garden, it is
likely that significant pruning will need to take place. By transplanting the plant, you are removing a large portion of the
root mass. Usually, the roots that are removed are the roots that are primarily responsible for feeding and watering the plant.
Because of this, the foliage of the plant, typically referred to as
the head or canopy, must be reduced because the new root mass is not able to support the existing volume of foliage. Before
beginning to dig, prune the head of the plant. Expect this pruning to be severe. Once the plant begins to establish, it will
flush out new growth and likely return to its former self.
Pruning for shaping:
Pruning for shaping should be
done selectively. Unless developing a topiary, bonsai, or hedge, pruning should be performed to enhance the natural growth
development of a plant and not to alter it. Cross branching, especially in small ornamental trees and large shrubs, should
be removed.
This will prevent the branches from eventually rubbing
against one another and causing damage or death to all or part of the crossing limbs. In many cases, only one of the lateral
crossing limbs is removed.
It is common practice to limit the size of
a shrub or tree. This should be done judiciously and performed with all effort to maintain the natural growth habit of the
plant. A typical result from over pruning or ‘topping’ of a plant is the development of ‘suckers’
from the base of the trunk, the trunk, or limbs. These should be removed immediately and not allowed to mature.
Hedge pruning is usually done with shears. In this practice it is common to ‘top’
a plant and cut its side close to achieve the desired effect. Ideally, the more dense the hedge is, the more appealing. This
effect can still be achieved using hand pruners instead of shears.
It’s
true this exercise will be more time consuming, but the end result is more pleasant. While pruning the hedge, take into consideration
developing ‘invisible’ holes in the foliage to allow sunlight in to the center of the plant thus allowing more
foliage development. Ultimately, your hedge will be denser than had you used shears.
If pruning an overgrown shrub, such as a taxus or yew, to reduce its size, be patient. Plan to reduce the overall
size of the plant in a time frame of 1-3 growing seasons. Use the previously described method to selectively prune ‘invisible’
holes in the foliage. Expect to take approximately a fourth to as much as a third of the plant in each pruning event.
The plant will recover more quickly than had you taken a significant volume of the
foliage and be more visually appealing in the process.
There are some
shrubs, such as Spirea, that can be cut back every year, much like a perennial, to maintain the optimum size and shape.
Pruning to promote growth or for plant health:
Pruning inevitably promotes growth development in plants. This may be very beneficial,
especially with old or oddly shaped plants in the landscape. Selectively prune the foliage you would like to remove to shape
the plant or add symmetry. You can expect the plant to flush and add new growth within that growing season.
For health’s sake, remove dead, diseased, or broken limbs as soon as possible. For some diseases,
should your plant become infected, it is better to prune when your plants are dormant, late fall through winter. Should you
plant(s) become infected, consider having them professional diagnosed.
Pruning time frames for shrubs and trees: The best time to prune shrubs and trees depends on
when they flower.
Shrubs and trees that develop blossoms on new growth
in late spring or summer should by pruned in either early spring, or the last few weeks of winter. Those shrubs and trees
would include:
* Barberry
* Butterfly Bush
* Beautyberry
* Caryopteris
* Clethra
* Rose of Sharon
* Hydrangea
* St. John’s Wort
* Japanese Kerria
* Privet
* Honeysuckle
* Sumac
* Roses
* Willow
* Spirea
Shrubs and trees that bear blossoms on last year’s wood should be pruned soon after blooming. Flower
buds, in this group, are formed late in the previous growing season. Heavy pruning in the late winter or early spring will
dramatically lessen the flowers to be enjoyed in the spring. The shrubs and trees in this group include:
* Azalea
* Pea shrub
* Redbud
* Quince
* Fringe Tree
* Deutzia
* Forsythia
* Magnolia
* Mock orange
* Currant
* Climbing Roses
* Spirea
* Lilac
* Rhododendron
Some shrubs and trees should be pruned lightly after blooming and again lightly in early spring. Those
shrubs and trees include:
* Dogwood
* Honeysuckle
* European Viburnum
* Weigelia
* Inkberry
Most trees can be pruned any time during the growing season. If the pruning is to
be severe, try to spread the pruning out over several growing seasons, if possible, to limit any stress the tree may experience.
Pruning of perennials:
Many perennials simply disappear after we experience a few hard frosts, hosta for example, and may require
little to no pruning at all. Some perennials may be left all winter for visual interest. This is at your discretion. If you
find the dry vegetation in winter more appealing than empty beds, leave the foliage until late winter or early spring.
Make sure to remove all of the dried vegetation before the next growing season begins.
A few of these plants would include ornamental grasses, coneflower varieties, and Black-Eyed Susans.
For most perennials the dried vegetation can and should be removed in late autumn or in the winter months
to prepare for the next growing season, this would include bulbs. When the foliage on bulbs begins to discolor, it can be
cut away. Be careful with perennials that are semi-evergreen such as coral bells to not damage the plant.
‘Deadheading’ or pruning of perennials after they bloom may promote additional blooms throughout
the growing season. In many cases, it will prevent the perennial from becoming floppy.
Bed Maintenance:
Bed maintenance, which
would include weeding, is usually the most overwhelming aspect of landscape maintenance for the homeowner. A few easy steps
can lessen your degree of difficulty.
First off, when it comes to weeds,
do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed. The best approach to minimizing or eliminating weeds is to address it regularly.
Periodically walk through your garden.
If something green pokes up
that shouldn’t be there, pull it or spray it with a herbicide. Do not allow the weed to mature and flower, thus spreading
more weeds. A liquid spray should only be used on a calm day. Take care not to allow the herbicide to over-spray onto other
plants.
Weeding is best done shortly after a rainstorm that has saturated
your beds. The soil will be soft and the entire root can be pulled out with the weed.
Secondly, weed prevention is an important step. Please do not believe that a weed barrier will eliminate your weeds.
It actually doesn’t because weeds will still germinate in the mulch.
In
addition, it makes it more difficult for rainfall to saturate the bedding so moisture for the plant is limited and makes your
job of watering more of a burden.
Apply a pre-emergent herbicide like
Preen. The pre-emergent will not kill existing weeds, but it will prevent new weeds from germinating. The pre-emergent should
be applied to your beds 2 or 3 times each year: early spring, mid summer, and mid to late fall.
Next, to maintain defined bed lines, edge your beds periodically. If you edge your beds lightly 2-3 times
each year, it will prevent the lawn from invading into your beds which gives the appearance of jagged bed lines. Repeatedly
edging your beds also makes the job much easier.
This is best done
by using a round point shovel and digging a shallow trench along your bed line. There is not treatment, when it comes to bed
edging that is 100% maintenance free.
Finally, mulch cover is important.
A 2”-3” layer of an organic double or triple processed mulch is most favorable. The benefits of mulch are extensive.
Mulch helps deter weed germination in your beds. In addition, mulch also insulates your plant’s roots from extreme heat
and extreme cold.
Mulch, as it breaks down, also helps to amend your
soil in your bedding, replenishing some nutrients that either leach away with water or are absorbed by your plantings. Mulch
is aesthetically pleasing.
Finally, mulch helps retain moisture in
your bedding, one of the most important attributes.
Don’t expect
to have to mulch every year. It’s true that many people do for appearance sake. You may be able to get the job done
with touching up in thin or bear areas. A thin coat of mulch, purely to add color, can be applied if your mulch has started
to accumulate in your beds.
If your mulch depth begins to exceed 3”
or so, simply turn your mulch over. It will promote the mulch to begin to breakdown and add some color. Adding mulch to well
covered beds can actually be detrimental to the health of your plants.
Seasonal Tips
Summer Heat!
Monitor your landscape closely and
make adjustments to watering times as needed. Shaded or protected areas may need less water than other zones, and you may
even be able to water less frequently than seven days a week.
Schedule
all cycles in early morning, so watering is complete by sunrise during the summer months. This avoids water lost to daytime
evaporation and afternoon and evening winds. Evening watering cycles are not necessary for lawn health.
Combat compacted soils:
Compacted soils also can stress your lawn. Sometimes simply aerating a stressed area and giving it a good soaking
solves the problem. Purchase a hand-operated coring aerator at a nursery, or hire a professional to do the job. Aeration should
be done at least twice a year.
An extremely dry lawn becomes hydrophobic,
or water-repelling. Add a tablespoon of liquid soap to a gallon of water and drench the dried area. This breaks down the surface
tension of the grass, making it hydrophilic, or water-loving. Then give it a good soaking.
Above all, water between 2 and 5 a.m. through September. This is the coolest time of the day or night,
and your lawn will more effectively soak in the water you give it.
Leaf scorching and burning:
Leaves usually are stressed for one of two reasons: improper watering or improper fertilization. Since
both overwatering and underwatering can damage plant leaves, the best solution is to water deeply and infrequently. This allows
oxygen in the soil, washes salts away and encourages deep rooting.
For most trees and shrubs older than three years, water deeply once every seven to 10 days (Run your drip system one to three
hours to soak the root zone). Newer plants may need water twice as often until established. Add a layer of surface mulch 2-
to 4-inches thick to conserve water between waterings and cool and enrich the soil.
Make sure you have the right fertilizer both for your specific plants and for the time of year. Some fertilizers release
much faster in hot weather, increasing the potential for damage. Follow package directions exactly and err on the conservative
side. Then, irrigate well to move nutrients to the soil.
