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3/9/2020 4 Comments

Spring Pruning

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photo source: ridgeviewgarden.com
Every year about this time, gardeners stand in their yards with pruners in hand ready to cut, whack, saw, and do the meatball. But wait. Not all woody plants should be pruned the same way or at the same time. Other gardeners are intimidated with pruning, get out the hedge sheers or prefer to do nothing. No matter which you are, these helpful tips will boost your confidence and arm you with the know-how to make the right cuts.  
​Pruning Basics
  • March is the right time to prune back many trees and shrubs. They are still dormant making it easy to study the branching habit and cut above leaf nodes. 
  • Make slightly slanted pruning cuts about 1/4" above a leaf node. Slant the cut away from the bud. 
  • Prune non-spring blooming shrubs now before they leaf out.
  • Cut back Spirea and Potentilla down to 6” every 2-3 years to reshape and to remove dead branches. 
  • Annabelle Hydrangeas can be cut back to 18” from the ground. Wait to cut back other hydrangeas until you see signs of green leaf buds swelling. If you have had trouble with Hydrangeas not blooming, skip the pruning all together this year. 
  • Do NOT prune lilacs, Forsythias, Viburnum and other spring-blooming shrubs now. Wait until they have bloomed, then cut back. 
  • For an illustration and links to maintenance pruning videos, check out this article by Fine Gardening here. 

The Unprunables
* Some shrubs can be intimidating even for experienced gardeners. Elderberry, Flowering Quince, Forsythia, Mock Orange, and Weigela can be pruned using three different techniques. One is known as rejuvenation which involves cutting all the branches back hard to about 6 inches from the ground. This stimulates an explosion of new growth and is best used when shrubs have grown out of control. If this is too drastic for you, break it into a three-year plan. Every year for three years, remove one-third of the oldest canes to the ground level. By year three, you'll have a completely new, nicely-shaped, healthy shrub.  The other two methods for the unprunables are  described here.

 
Other Tips & Resources
  • Do not prune trees and shrubs that were planted last year. Give them time to get established first. 
  • Invest in a good pruners and a pruning saw. Felco and Corona are both high quality brands. 
  • The best pruning book that we know of is a recent release by New York Botanical Garden. Written by Daryl Beyers, The New Gardener's Handbook covers all the basics of gardening. In addition to an informative chapter on pruning, it offers helpful garden tips for even experienced gardeners.  It's a new book on our BGC bookshelf and one worth adding to yours. 
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​Fruit Tree Care in Spring
We get lots of questions every spring about fruit trees, including when and how to prune. The following should help answer your questions:
  • Check the base of trees for signs of vole/rabbit damage.
  • Fertilize late March/early April before growth begins.
  • Check plums and cherries for black knot by April 1 to prevent the release of spores. Disinfect pruners between cuts.
  • Time to prune!
    • Remove broken, crossed, damaged branches.
    • Remove suckers and water sprouts.
  • Begin spraying apple trees to prevent apple scab and other insects/diseases.
    • Spray dormant oil when temps are at least 40 degrees.

Tracy Hankwitz, horticulturist and General Manager at Burlington Garden Center. 
4 Comments

3/3/2020 1 Comment

Awakening the Spring Garden - Five Early Spring Perennials for Shade

After winter’s long hold, the first signs of spring are the sweetest. Despite the transitioning temperature swings as the two seasons duke it out, a late snow or frost will not hurt early-emerging perennials. Imagine the ground thawing, birds singing, and the sun warming as we walk through the shade garden in early spring. Prepare yourself for the thrill of excitement that only nature can provide. . .

One of the first to awaken is the Lenten Rose (Helleborus). In mid-March, brush away the layers of leaf mulch and you’ll find new leaves emerging followed quickly with whites, creams, pastels or deep purple flower buds low hidden under last year's foliage. As the ground warms, foliage and flowers expand to their full glorious selves rising to 12-24 inches. A new one to look for is H. 'Sun Flare'. Plant them along a pathway and on a slight slope in part shade to keep them happy. Though Hellebores can be pricey, the reward is well worth it. 

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Hellebores in early spring
Following quickly on their heels is Lungwort (Pulmonaria). Delicate blossoms range from white to shades of raspberry. Their attractive leaves are speckled, spotted, or splashed with silver and will expand as the season progresses making this shade perennial a good alternative to Hostas. 'Twinkle Toes' is a delightful variety that sparkles in the shade. A fascinating change happens to the flowers when pollinated. After a bumblebee nestles in to collect nectar, the flower changes color, signaling to other pollinators to find another bloom. Isn’t nature fun? 
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Pulmonaria 'Twinkle Toes' photo source: provenwinners.com
A lovely companion to the pinks and purples of Lenten Rose and Lungwort are the sky-blue dainty flowers of False Forget-me-not (Brunnera). Like her shady sisters, it is flowers before foliage in the spring. The species will often reseed and after a few years, the garden will be a sea of blue. Once the initial show is done, the foliage expands into attractive hearts that grace the landscape. Look for variegated varieties with white or silver like 'Sea Heart' which won’t spread as quickly. 
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Brunnera 'Sea Heart' photo source: bluestoneperennials.com
​Primroses (Primula) are a seasoned harbinger of spring. Their lovely pastel flowers embody the hope and joy that spring brings. Many Primula species are self-seeding and create a naturalized feel in the shade garden. In addition to the low-growing posies, look for the taller drumstick or candelabra types to add variety. Two other favorites to look for are the apricot, double blossoms of ‘'Nectarine' that will dance their way into your heart, and the frilly, apple-green ‘Francesca’ which blooms a little later than other Primrose. 
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Primrose Belarina 'Nectarine' photo source: greatgardenplants.com
What spring garden would be complete without unfurling fiddleheads? Like a child, I often find myself on my knees with my face pressed in close to capture those fresh, green fronds with my camera. But green is not the only color of ferns. Pepper in the burgundy, lacy foliage of Japanese Painted ferns and all her offspring varieties. They make a lovely contrast to the emerging, broad leaves of Hosta.
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Fern fiddleheads opening in the spring. photo source: onlineplantnursery.com
In the summer, the shade garden cools us with calm, green hues and a mix of bold and fine textures. It’s in spring when she arises and shines with an entirely different color palette. With a few of these early beauties in your landscape, you can more fully experience the excitement of spring as the earth awakens. 
 
Tracy Hankwitz is a horticulturist and general manager at Burlington Garden Center.
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1 Comment

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