Early Spring is an exciting time, things are warming up and the cold weather is fading. The weather can be quite finicky in March and early April, with random snow storms and cold snaps popping up. Still there is always that anticipation of the warm weather arriving, especially when we can see the plants starting to come alive. Herbaceous perennials and bulbs are starting to come up from the earth and green buds are showing up on woody perennials, shrubs, and trees. This is the time to start getting out and prepping the garden for the upcoming season, ensuring healthy and vigorous plants.
Remove Winter Covering
One of the first steps, is to start removing protective covering from young or sensitive plants that you had covered over the Winter. Taking down wind breaking burlap, deer fencing, and tree wrappings will help the bark and plant breathe so that on warm days fungus and disease aren’t growing and insects aren’t taking up residence.
Pruning
Annual pruning has healthy benefits and keeps plants in shape, there are different pruning tasks to perform for each type of plant. For shrubs and trees it is important to get rid of any dead or diseased limbs. On herbaceous perennials cut back any dead upper growth foliage to make way for new growth. Rose gardeners can prune out any dead canes or canes with signs of canker. And Fruit trees should be pruned before the buds swell. Cut back ornamental grasses by tying up and cutting back to just a few inches above the ground. When pruning it is important to use the right tools and to disinfect when you’re done ensuring disease isn’t spread throughout your garden.
Pruning before budding which is called dormant pruning allows the tree or shrub to deal with healing the cut. A cut stresses a plant and can take several days to heal, but if done when dormant the plant can focus on the healing process without having to worry about producing leaves and flowers or sending out new growth. Pruning also creates an open wound, so winter pruned plants are less susceptible to insect and disease problems since such pests aren’t quite active yet.
It is important to note that for some flowering shrubs it is best to wait a little while after flowers bloom, so as to not cut off any limbs that would provide flower or fruit formation. Remember to prune later flowering trees and shrubs in the early spring and Spring flowering trees and shrubs right after they bloom. Some trees such as Maple and Birch are best pruned after leafing as well, it’s important to recognize which trees prefer what and to do a little research before getting to it.
Planting and Transplanting
If the weather is mild and the ground is no longer frozen start planting roses, trees, and shrubs and transplanting any Deciduous shrubs or trees before they start to bud. Keeping an eye on the upcoming weather and ensuring there will be no winter storms on the horizon. March is the best time to plant fruit trees and berries as well. Although, just like with pruning, it is important to keep in mind not all trees can be moved this time of year and remain healthy.
You can also begin to plant your annuals that enjoy cooler weather such as snapdragons and pansies. And there are some herbs that do great when planted outdoors during this time of year, such as Rosemary, chives, and thyme. The lawn can also be started if there’s no snow, top-dress with compost, filling in low spots and reseed. (We carry Perennial Rye or Sun and Shade.)
Prepping Soil
Prepare your soil if the ground isn’t frozen and is able to be worked by adding compost, manure, or a general all purpose fertilizer. It is also recommended to add a slow release around trees, hedges, and shrubs. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, Rhododendren, and Azalea. Once you start seeing where your plants are coming up, you can dress up the beds with some fresh mulch.
Just these few checks on your To Do list will be appreciated once the Late Spring and Summer arrive. There will be healthy, beautiful plants to enjoy and maintain throughout the growing season and for years to come.
