Plant Care

Seasonal Tips
Landscape Care & Maintenance
Conserving Water in the Landscape
Plant Care Glossary

Seasonal Tips

EARLY SPRING

Early Spring is a great time to cut back Ornamental Grasses. Small grasses may be cut back to a few inches above ground; Larger grasses should be cut back to about 12 inches. Clean up winter-damaged foliage on perennials. Apply Osmocote or other slow-release fertilizer according to package directions.

MID TO LATE SPRING

Mid- to Late-Spring is a wonderful time to enjoy the blossoms of early perennials like Iris, Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra), and Dianthus. Simply deadhead faded blossoms to keep plants looking neat.

Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) are about to bloom, and may be staked with bamboo poles or grow-through grids (available in our nursery store) to keep heavy blossoms upright.

Apply preemergent after planting landscape beds to prevent weeds throughout the growing season. Both standard and organic preemergent products are available in our nursery store.

Refresh mulch to retain moisture and keep landscape beds looking tidy. Add only enough mulch to maintain a 2-3 inch depth, making sure to keep mulch away from stems and trunks of plants.

Landscape Care & Maintenance

This is just a general guide, intended to help with planning year-round landscape care and maintenance. Interested gardeners and do-it-yourselfers would benefit from in-depth advice and further research. Our links and resources section has excellent sources for learning more.

When to Prune: General Guidelines

Generally, nothing should be pruned from the beginning of August until the beginning of December.

When to Prune: Flowering Shrubs

Some plants bloom on new growth, and others bloom on last year's growth. Pruning at the wrong time may prevent blooming in the next season. In general, shrubs that bloom in Spring or early Summer should be pruned right after they finish blooming. Shrubs that don't bloom until late Summer or Fall should be pruned in early Spring.

When to Prune: Trees

The most opportune time to prune the majority of deciduous trees is during the winter. Without leaves, it's much easier to see their shape and branching.

When to Prune: Conifers

The best time to prune False Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Juniper, Yew, and Arborvitae is right before a flush of new growth (usually early Spring).

Fertilizing

As a general rule, slow-release fertilizer (such as Osmocote) is best applied between November and early Spring. Liquid, organic, and plant-specific fertilizers vary in application rates, times, and methods. When using any type of fertilizer, always follow instructions on product packaging to protect your plants, yourself, and the environment.

Mulch: Proper Application

Mulch is an excellent way to add organic matter and nutrients to the soil and help plants retain moisture. New landscaping benefits from a 2-3 inch layer of mulch. As mulch decomposes, more can be added to maintain a depth of 2-3 inches.

Most importantly, keep mulch away from the trunks of plant material. Too much organic matter next to the trunks and stems will cause them to rot. Though this is a common practice, it's very harmful (and often deadly) for plants.

Mulch: Mold & Fungi

Though unsightly, most mold and fungi on mulch is not harmful. To discourage growth, break up or turn over your mulch, and/or remove the growth.

Lawn Care

Several kinds of lawn seed, fertilizers, and weed killers are available at the nursery. For more complete lawn care information, visit the Home & Garden Information Center.

Planting

One of the leading contributors to unsuccessful planting and transplanting is the tendency to plant the root ball too low. Keep approximately 1/8 of the root ball above the soil level to prevent drainage problems and encourage healthy growth. For detailed instructions (including diagrams), click here.

Watering

Click here for printable watering instructions.

Conserving Water in the Landscape

This spring and summer have been extremely dry. Many communities have watering restrictions, so check with local municipalities for information regarding your specific location. To save additional water in the landscape, follow these tips:

Water in the morning, when less water will be lost to evaporation.
Repair leaking hoses and sprinklers to reduce water loss.
Keep lawn areas mowed to a height of 3 to 3.5 inches. Shorter grass heights encourage weed growth and water evaporation.
Keep landscape areas mulched. Add only enough mulch to maintain a 2-3 inch depth, making sure to keep mulch away from stems and trunks of plants.
Add organic matter (such as Leafgro or compost) to new planting areas. This will help the soil retain moisture.
Eliminate weeds by pulling or applying an appropriate herbicide.
Set up a rain barrel to collect rainwater, which may be used to water the plants in your landscape. Rain barrels need not be an eyesore: Oak barrels are a handsome solution, and are usually available for sale at our retail store.
Replace lawn areas with landscape. Ultimately, most ornamental plants require less water, time, and expense than irrigating and maintaining lawn areas.

Plant Care Glossary

Basal foliage
Leaves that grow from the base or crown of the plant

Broadleaf Evergreen
An evergreen plant that is not a conifer.

Conifer
A small-leafed, cone-bearing ornamental plant. Usually evergreen.

Cutting back
Pruning off foliage, and sometimes flower buds or deadheads, to renew a plant's appearance or control size

Deadhead
A flower that has withered, faded, and/or dried

Deadheading
Removing faded flowers to improve appearance of plant

Deadleafing
Removing dead leaves to improve appearance of plant

Deciduous
Plants that shed their leaves annually

Evergreen
A plant that retains its foliage for more than one season

Groundcover
A plant with a low-growing, spreading habit, grown specifically to cover the ground.

Lateral
A side growth that branches from a shoot or root

Ornamental Grass
Herbaceous plants with slender leaves, usually with flowers in spike or multi-bract arrangements. May be perennial or evergreen.

Ornamental Tree
A small, flowering tree, used for color, texture, and understory plantings.

Perennial
A flowering or foliage plant with roots that live from year to year and tops that may or may not die back in the winter.

Pinching
Removing the growing tips and first set of leaves (usually about 1/2 to 1 inch) of a plant to promote production of side shoots

Prolong bloom
To extend the bloom time of a plant

Rosette
A crown of leaves radiating from the same point or close to the surface of the ground

Seedheads
Ripe seeds that have dried in a cluster

Shade Tree
A larger tree whose canopy provides shade at ground level where it is planted.

Shaping
Shearing a plant, usually to create rounded or mounded form

Shearing
Pruning or cutting back with hedge shears to promote reblooming

Shrub
A woody ornamental plant, smaller than a tree. Usually with several stems.

Stalk
The stem of a plant that supports the leaves, flowers, or fruit

Thinning
Removing the shoots, leaves, flowerheads, or seedheads to improve the growth habit or appearance of a plant

Vine
A plant that trails, clings, or twines, and requires support to grow vertically.