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Monthly Tips Gardening Tasks and Information Fruit Trees, Grapevines, Ornamental Trees January/February: This is a good time to prune fruit trees, grapevines. Spring blooming flowers are pruned after blooming.** Grape vines should be pruned so that only one long branch extends along each level of the trellis wire on both sides of the main trunk. Winter is a good time to treat fruit trees with a dormant oil spray. Shrubs and Trees January/February: This is a good time to prune ornamental trees and shrubs. New planting can be done now and existing plants can be transplanted. Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs January/February: You can plant new perennials and transplant existing plants. Tree and Shrub Planting Guidelines
Be patient with your daffodil and crocus foliage. Even though many of the blooms have finished for the season allow the old leaves to stand until they start to yellow on their own. The next few weeks are critical to successful blooms for next year. Once the blooms have faded the foliage is storing food to produce the flower buds for next year's color. After the leaves have turned yellow, cut them off even with the ground. Many gardeners plant daylilies with their daffodils so the new daylily foliage will help hide the yellowing daffodil leaves. Richard Nunnally
Vegetables January/February: This is a great time to use solarization to rid the garden of weeds. Cover your garden with clear plastic and create a greenhouse like condition that will increase the temperature and the humidity under the plastic - weed seeds will sprout earlier than normal – in a couple of weeks after sprouting remove the plastic and expose the seedlings to the cold – voila they will be killed. This is a good time to get out on a mild day and clean up the flower- beds that you did not finish cleaning in the fall. Pick up the dead limbs from winter storms and rake late dropping leaves. Leaves should be composted rather than burned. Remember there is gold in those leaves Winter is a good time to clean up your garden tools. Clean the rust off of your tools with a metal brush and treat them with oil. Some gardeners keep a bucket of sand mixed with oil and dip their tools in it. March: It is time to start your vegetable seeds indoor. Put 2 to 3 inches of potting mix in a shallow tray and moisten. Next sprinkle seeds for tomato, pepper and squash plants on the surface. With the point of a pencil push the seeds into the soil about 1/8 of an inch. Loosely cover the seeds with a shallow layer of potting mix and cover the tray with clear plastic wrap. The seeds should be sprouting in 10 days or less. Once they sprout remove the plastic wrap and put the tray in a sunny window and your plants will be ready for the garden in 4 to 6 weeks right after our last frost. Resist the urge to mulch your vegetable garden. Early season vegetables rely on solar energy to heat the soil and stimulate root growth. While mulch is a good weed deterrent, applying it too early can slow down the growth of your cool season plants. Hold off on mulching your vegetables until we get closer to the early summer heat of late May and early June. At that time your plants will appreciate the insulation. Compost is a terrific organic fertilizer and its organic matter will help to improve the soil for many seasons. Apply 2 to 3 inches of compost to the surface and then work that compost into the top 4 to 6 inches of the soil. That way 2 inches of compost will improve almost 6 inches of garden soil. How much to buy? It takes approximately 17 cubic feet of compost to cover 100 square feet of garden soil 2 inches deep. A small pickup with a 6 foot bed that's 2 feet deep and 4 feet wide will hold about 48 cubic feet of compost. Spring and fall are the main breeding seasons for voles who produce from 5 to 10 litters. The difference between moles and voles is that voles are vegetarians that eat plant roots and moles are carnivores that hunt earthworms, snails, slugs and insects. Voles like to use the tunnels that moles make. Look for small holes next to a plant's root system. This can indicate that voles are at work. A good way to capture them is to set a mousetrap with peanut butter. Place it next to a hole and place a black plastic pot with a brick on top of it as voles like privacy. Re-bait the the traps for 3 to 4 days before abandoning the hole and then backfill the holes. Lawns
March:
In March remove thatch and aerate lawn. Apply pre-emergence
herbicide and crabgrass killer to tall fescue lawns mid February
to mid March. You can do this with products with the
active ingredients: siduron, benefin, bensulide or dithiopry and
follow the instructions carefully. Crabgrass preemergents
can If you need to plant grass in the early spring do it now. The seed will benefit from its exposure to moisture. By planting now the grass seeds will be ready when the temperatures warm are right. Frost and cold weather will not hurt the seed for three or four weeks. Grass seeds planted in the spring comes up great but it frequently dies in the summer heat. The young plants do not have enough time to develop a healthy root system before our hot, dry summer weather arrives.
April: Never fertilize tall fescue lawns in the spring if they were fertilized in the fall but do apply annual weed control. Fertilize Bermuda/Zoysia grasses in April, again in May and again in June. Slow Release Fertilizers are best. Mow lawn only after it has grown at least two inches. Leave first grass clippings of the season on the ground as they are rich in nutrients and contain fewer weed seeds than those collected later. May: Lengthen the time between waterings and increase the amount of water provided at one time to encourage root growth. In May apply broadleaf weed killer to control summer annual weeds. September: Apply pre-emergent now to control the seeds of henbit and chickweed October: Lawn weeds can be controlled in the winter when daytime temperatures are in the 50ties or 60ties for a couple of days. Use any selective broadleaf weed killer for turf. Henbit and chickweed will die on their own by mid- April. These are winter annuals that germinate in the fall, grow through the winter, bloom and drop seeds in early spring and die by the end of April November: Apply pre-emergent to henbit and chickweed and it will kill the small seedlings before they can mature and produce more seeds. The ideal situation for those who have ponds and small lakes is to have a buffer around them that will prevent erosion and serve as a filter for nutrients coming from the yard. The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act does suggest one Best Management Practice is a buffer of fescue around sensitive water areas as long as they are mowed occasionally to provide the best filter and reduce the need for fertilizer. The best approach is to contact a Soil and Water Conservation person in your local district. They will come meet with you and discuss the best way to manage borders around your pond or lake. Shrubs and Trees
Dogwoods should do well in a wooded area as long as it is well-drained. While our native dogwood, Cornus florida,is a natural understory plant, it doesn't do well in wet places. The native plant, with its white blooms is available through many garden centers across Virginia. There are a number of good hybrid varieties including the 'Cherokee' series: 'Cherokee Brave', 'Cherokee Chief' and 'Cherokee Princess.' 'Cloud 9 is another good hybrid sporting profuse white flowers. Richard Nunnally March: Pinch back new growth now on pyracanthas to make more compact. Prune spring-flowering shrubs only after flowering is complete. Plant roses and bare-root shrubs while dormant--about mid March. Prune hedges leaving the base of the plant wider than the top to allow sunlight to get to the bottom of the plant. Move boxwoods now. Spray horticultural dormant oil on shrubs and trees to smother fungal diseases and insect eggs such as scale. Prune trees that bleed--River Birch and Maple--only after their leaves are fully developed. Move dogwoods now. Prune, if have not already, crape myrtle and dogwood. This is the perfect time to add plants to your landscape. Before you plant check the roots carefully. Since many landscape plants are sold in plastic containers, their roots have a tendency to grow to the shape of the container. This can lead to girdling roots that can eventually choke out your plants. Pry the roots apart and spread them evenly around the planting hole. April: Fertilize azaleas and camellias only after they have finished blooming. Prune forsythia, camellia (Japanese and Sasanqua), daphne, winter jasmine, pittosporum, privet (deciduous and evergreen), serviceberry, pussy willow, witch hazel, and mugo pine. Those that flower should not be pruned until after flowering. Plant container-grown roses. Prune existing roses to buds that point outward to encourage air and sunlight penetration. Dark colored canes denote dead wood—remove. Feed roses monthly April through October. Prune ornamental cherry trees after they have bloomed. Transplant trees and shrubs before hot weather arrives. May: Prune rhododendrons and azaleas immediately after flowering, now or in June. Prune barbeery, bayberry, camellias (all), daphne, fothergill, Indian hawthorn, mugo pine, mahonia, photinia, pieris, spring-blooming spirea, viburnum (deciduous and evergreen), winter jasmine, flowering almond, weigela, and yew. Mulch trees and shrubs to conserve water during summer. Remove suckers and watersprouts (small branches that grow perpendicular to tree branches) on trees such as crape myrtles. Mulch trees to conserve water during summer. Prune maple, deodar cedar, hemlock, spruce, pine, buckeye, red bud, crabapple, and Harry Lauder’s walking stick. November: We never recommend planting fruit trees or any other trees within 20 feet of the foundation of your house. This is primarily to protect your foundation from the effects of the trees' roots Perennials, Annuals, and Bulbs Gardenias: These fragrant white blossoms, offer associated with adorning hair a la Billie Holliday, can delight the senses, especially if planted under windows. 'Chuck Hayes' and 'Klein's Hardy' do well in this area because of their hardiness. 'Kein's Hardy' is the more fragrant of the two. These wonderful plants will bloom from early spring until frost. March: Let the weeding begin! Apply pre-emergent weed control and add compost to ornamental beds. Divide and transplant summer and fall-blooming perennials--ajuga, astilbe, aster, bleeding heart, coral bells, daylilies, liriope, oxalis, phlox, chrysanthemums, and Shasta daisies. Remove excess mulch from around perennials and fertilize perennial beds. Apply a slow release fertilizer according to soil test recommendations. Remove excess mulch from around perennials and bulbs. Plant seeds of many perennials and annuals indoors in early March for transplanting outdoors after the last frost in mid April (usually April 21). Grow under grow lights or on sunny window ledge. Cut back to almost ground level and divide ornamental grasses such as pampas grass and fountain grass. Cut back shoreline plants to enjoy view in summer. Plant pansies by mid March for bright shows. Sow seeds of alyssum, California poppy, candytuft, larkspur, pansy, viola, phlox, pinks, Shirley poppy, snapdragon, stock and sweet pea as soon as the soil has thawed. Fertilize spring flowering bulbs as leaves emerge. The time to move forsythia is in the spring after bloom. Cut it to 2 feet tall and dig up and move it to a sunny spot where it will have plenty of room. Fertilize your daylilies with a slow release fertilizer according to soil test recommendations.. April: Harden off greenhouse plants before planting in the landscape. Lift, divide, and replant chrysanthemums as soon as new shoots appear. Pinch out the tops frequently until July 4th to thicken the plant. Plant snapdragons, cosmos, larkspur, calendula, dusty miller, bells of Ireland, aster, candytuft, cleome, cornflower, dianthus, and phlox. Pull mulch back from emerging plants. Buy annuals that have lots of buds but aren’t in bloom. These plants are not root bound and will establish and grow faster. Plant strawflower, money plant, hydrangea, statice, Chinese lantern, celosia, and globe amaranth to dry for arrangements. Plant those plants you started indoors as long as you cover them with floating row covers – no need to harden off as long as cover with floating row covers until after the last frost. Plant gladiolus, lilies, cannas and other summer-flowering bulbs intermittently now through mid-June to extend blooming period. In late April rake up flower-beds and directly sow flower plant seeds and put in purchased plants that can be planted only after the last frost. Apply a slow release fertilizer according to soil test recommendations after they have bloomed. Let foliage die naturally. Plant dahlias in late April and stake at the time of planting. Plant gladiolus, lilies, cannas and other summer-flowering bulbs intermittently now through mid June to extend blooming period. Label daffodils clumps that are too crowded; dig up and separate in July. Fertilize lilies with a slow a release fertilizer according to soil test recommendations in early spring (2 or 3 times a year use organic fertilizer). Divide lilies every 3 to 5 years in early spring or after blooming. After 14 days without rain provide a half inch of water a week. Buy top-quality plants from a reputable supplier. Repel rabbits with a strong scented bar of soap tied up in onion bags. To additional methods to repel deer and rabbits check out these links.
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/wildlife/deercont.PDF To repel thrips use 2-3 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with a dash of mouthwash in a gallon of warm water- spray this solution on the plants at the first sign of thrips ( if the tip of the bud is slightly bent before it opens). Prune forsythia, camellia, daphne Regularly "deadhead" (remove the spent flowers) from annuals for continuous blooms. Near season's end allow a few to go to seed and collect them for next year' planting. Save time and money by incorporating "green: water-wise aids in your garden: rain barrels for water collection; Treegator watering bags for young trees; glazed pots (instead of terra cotta) for reduced evaporation; and water miser crystals in ornamental containers and hanging baskets for improved water retention. Plant ground covers such as ajuga, small-leaved ivy, pachysandra, vinca minor, mondo grass, liriope and cast iron plant or ferns to cover barren spots under trees. Plant strawberries now. May: Plant perennials such as columbine, cosmos, viburnum, and gaura. Sidedress perennials with a slow a release fertilizer according to soil test recommendations. Dig and divide dusty miller and replant the more vigorous, outside portions of the clump. Fertilize well while growing. Pinch back zinnias, petunias, and salvia when 4 to 6 inches high to promote bushy growth. Pinch chrysanthemums until July 4. Set out marigolds, petunias, ageratums, impatiens, salvia, vinca, and fibrous begonias and other annuals. Prune honeysuckle and wisteria.
June:
Set out annuals such as
marigolds, petunias, ageratums, impatiens, salvia and begonias.
Fertilize daylilies with a slow Vegetables March: A terrific garden planting guide is available through your local Virginia Cooperative Extension (you can enter the last frost date for your area and then calculate when to plant). Input www.ext.vt.edu and follow the link to local offices and select the one closest to you and follow the links to “Educational Resources.” Plant tomato and pepper seeds inside in early March for transplanting outside after last frost in mid April. Grow under grow lights or on sunny window ledge. Plant spinach, onions, radishes, broccoli, collards, cabbage, Brussels spouts, potatoes, carrots, Swiss chard, and peas now. Purchase seeds for warm-weather plants, flowering vines, perennials, and veggies. April: The average last killing frost in our area is between April 4 and April 21. Add compost, not manure, to garden soil to improve it. Also till into soil a slow releases fertilizer. Plant herbs outside after April 21 as well as warm season vegetables. May: Harvest peas, radishes, lettuce, and spring onions among other cool-weather vegetables. Plant warm-weather veggies such as snap beans, okra, squash, sweet corn, lima beans, eggplant, peppers, sweet potato, cucumber, melon, tomatoes, etc.—either from seeds or transplants. Houseplants March: Start fertilizing now for good growth. Repot plants that are root-bound and cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth. Plants will require more water now and on through the summer. April: Give Easter lilies bright, indirect light and moist soil. After blooming, plant in a sunny spot in the garden (usually in May) or after the danger of frost is over and they will bloom next year. To avoid transmitting a virus, plant Easter lilies away from other lilies. Wait until warm weather—55 degrees--is definitely here before moving houseplants outdoors. Continue to feed houseplants lightly. May: Divide indoor plants when new growth starts in spring and root cuttings during spring and summer when the plant is actively growing. Move houseplants outdoors when night temperatures stay above 55 degrees. Progressively move them into their bright, summer locations so as not to sunburn them. Move amaryllis, treated as an indoor plant, outside in shaded location and let continue to grow. If do not plan to bring back inside, plant it outdoors placing base of bulb 8 inches deep (top will be 3 inches deep). Protect over winter with 2-3 inches of mulch. Will bloom in late spring. Gardening Tips—Savvy Gardeners
Shrubs and Trees November: Once the grays of winter settle in and there's not much exciting going on in most landscapes, it's a great time of year for plants with more than one season of interest to show off. Ornamental grasses and plants with berries or peeling bark or thorns or cones really can add another dimension to the scenery. The "Winter King" hawthorn (Crataegus viridis 'Winter King') are covered in berries. This small-to medium (25' tall by 25' wide is not just a winter beauty; it dresses up the landscape all year. In mid-spring this tree is loaded with clusters of delicate, white five-petaled flowers. As the flowers fade, the glossy green leaves appear. The lustrous three to five lobed maple-like leaves densely cover the tree all summer and turn orange to scarlet in the fall. The tree's crisp, bright green foliage and tidy habit make it an outstanding smaller specimen tree for any landscape The "Winter King" hawthorn is resistant to cedar-hawthorn rust. In most years this tree produces a bumper crop of red pea-size berries that persist through the winter. Because of their smaller thorns hawthorns make excellent barrier plantings. In the winter the dense branching habit offers both visual protection and dispersal of winter wind. "Winter King" is hard in zones 5 to 8 and it tolerates a wide range of soils and will grow in full sun to partial shade. It looks spectacular in groupings of three The native birch (Betula nigra) usually grown as a multi-trunk tree can make a real dramatic statement when planted in groups. A grove of river birches against a dark evergreen background or around a water feature is quite striking. Its calling card is its exfoliating bark, which peels off to reveal a colorful inner bark that is cinnamon-brown on this species and white to pinkish-white on the popular cultivar 'Heritage.' Birches are known for their ability to withstand extremely cold temperatures and for being able to bend under heavy snow and ice loads without breaking. It can withstand Southern summers and is resistant to the bronze birch borer. When the river birch leafs out in the spring, its leaves provide an open, airy canopy that allows plenty of light to reach plants below. Though not consistent from year to year its fall color is a butter-yellow. This tree grows naturally along streams and riverbanks but will live in drier conditions once established. Plant it in the spring, mulch well and water regularly especially during the first year. They like a loose, slightly acid soil or it may suffer from chlorosis which will make its leaves turn sickly yellow-green. Many people in the South have learned that
planting a 'Heritage' river birch is wiser than attempting to grow a
white or paper bark birch because of the problem with the bronze
birch borer. Although the 'Heritage' doesn't have the bright
white bark, it is in many ways a superior tree. * Jim May |
