In the Garden
Amy Jordan, Special to the Gazette
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Spring is just around the corner.
Once the weather warms up, the list of garden chores often exceeds the amount of time we have to accomplish them, so get a head start on some basic chores.
Water
On warm winter days, get out and do a little watering. Focus on fall planted trees, shrubs and perennials, then move on to the evergreens. If you planted tall fescue grass last fall, provide about 1/2 inch of water to it as well.
Prune
When trees are dormant and have lost their leaves, their structure and individual shape can be studied more easily. Young trees need more attention the first few years of their lives to establish a strong crown structure. Remove branches that have been damaged, are crossing, or are growing towards the center of the tree or towards the ground. Cut the branch back to where it originates on a main limb. Do not leave stubs! Some trees will bleed clear sap from pruning wounds when pruned this time of year, which is not harmful to the tree. Do not prune on days when the temperature is below 40 degrees F.
On multi-stemmed shrubs that have become overgrown or have a large amount of non-flowering wood, consider rejuvenation pruning. This is the most severe form of pruning, involving cutting the branches back to 3-5 inch stubs in late winter. Spirea, forsythia, japonica and other multi-stemmed shrubs respond well to this treatment. Keep in mind that spring flowering shrubs pruned in this manner will not bloom this year.
Mulch
Replenish the mulch around trees and shrubs. Do not put the mulch against the trunk or the stems to avoid rodent damage. A 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch will help conserve moisture, reduce competition with grass or weeds, and protect the trunk from mechanical damage, such as from mowers or weed trimmers. Put off mulching perennial beds until new growth has resumed.
Plan
Thumb through the seed catalogs you are receiving in the mail, or surf through some websites to check out the newest varieties. Make a list of the varieties you want to try this year. Plan your vegetable garden to maximize the space the whole season, replacing early spring vegetables with a warm season crop, or a second round of cool season vegetables for a fall garden. Order seed or check with local garden centers to see if they will carry the vegetables, annuals and perennial plants you want.
Make a list of goals you want to accomplish in the yard and garden this year and get started on working toward them.
F Amy Jordan is a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in Lyon County.