Landscaping Chores for Spring
You may have heard of spring cleaning for your home, but did you know spring cleaning for your landscape is just as important? There are several chores you can complete now that will improve the productivity and appearance of your gardens as we head into the warmer seasons.
February is a great time of year to consider pruning of roses and other shrubs. It’s important in roses that pruning is completed prior to budbreak in the spring. The removal of old flowers and dead growth on rose bushes causes greater amounts of larger, more attractive flowers in the new season. Major pruning of roses should be done before new growth begins in the spring, and general grooming of your plants can be done anytime throughout the growing season. General grooming includes removing dead or damaged stems. Before you make any pruning cuts, be sure to identify the type of roses you are working with. Climbing roses bloom on old wood, therefore, should not be bloomed before they flower. On the flip side, large and rapidly growing varieties like hybrid teas and grandiflora roses need to be pruned heavily. Leave four to six of the best canes and prune to 24-30 inches from the ground. Knockout roses should be pruned down two feet below the desired height for the growing season, and if they are too unruly, knockouts can be cut back to 1-2 feet in height.
This time of year is also great for renewal pruning of shrubs. Renewal pruning should be done when shrubs outgrow their space or when they become too open and sparse in growth towards their base. Pruning shrubs such as evergreens, holly, cleyera, ligustrums, and azaleas back to 6-12 inches above the ground encourages new growth and a better appearance to the plant. Renewal pruning should be completed before spring growth begins in late February or early March. As the shoots of the plant reach 6-12 inches long, cut the terminal bud found at their tips. This terminal bud at the tip of the shoot produces the hormone auxin, which prevents growth of the lateral buds and results in sprawling, sparse plants. Tipping the terminal bud increases growth of the lateral buds on the shoot and encourages full growth.
A final chore to consider this time of year is summer weed control of things like crabgrass and goose grass through pre-emergence herbicides. When soil temperatures at a 4 inch depth start to reach around 55 degrees, weeds will start to germinate—typically the first or second week of March. When applying herbicides, be sure to read and follow the directions on the label for better weed control and decreased risk of harm to turf or the environment. Limit herbicide use to areas it is needed and avoid placing it on hard surfaces or in garden beds. Use an active ingredient such as pendimethalin, prodiamine, dithiopyr, benefin plus trifluralin, and benefin plus oryzalin. Many of these ingredients can be found in multiple brand-name products. Be sure to get a product that is designed to kill the weeds you need control of. One last thing to remember- do not apply any weed and feed products at this time if they contain any nitrogen. Additional nitrogen will encourage new growth of grasses, and we are still at risk of killing that new growth with any cold snaps. Fertilizers and herbicides that do not contain nitrogen are safe to use during this period as they do not encourage new growth in the same manner.
If you have questions about pruning or pre-emergent herbicides, please let us know at uge3181@uga.edu or 706-359-3233.
