![]() ![]() Wait to prune evergreen shrubbery such as junipers, yews and arborvitae, until you see new growth. Those may be pruned in spring as they begin to grow, and they’ll still flower this summer. If you prune now, you’ll sacrifice this year’s flowers.Ī few shrubs bloom on new stems that are produced this spring, such as old-fashioned snowball hydrangeas and pink-flowering spireas, for instance. Hold off pruning forsythia, lilacs and other shrubs that bloom in spring or early summer. If it stays together tightly, it is still too moist. If the soil is dry enough, the ball will be crumbly. You can test for dryness by lifting some soil with a shovel, then making a small ball in your fist. Wait until soil dries sufficiently before working in the garden. Be sure to remove the cylinder if it begins to constrict the trunk’s growth. Be sure to leave an inch or two of space between the cylinder and the trunk. Make a cylinder of hardware cloth or chicken wire and place it around the base of your tree. If you’re concerned about rabbits and other critters gnawing on the thin bark, create a more permanent barrier. The wrap holds moisture against the trunk, which can promote diseases. If you used paper or plastic tree wrap to protect young trees from sunscald or animal damage, remove it immediately. The canes of hyrbrid tea roses may be damaged or killed if nighttime temperatures drop into the teens. This year, however, you might want to wait. Tender, hybrid tea roses are usually uncovered or lifted around mid-April most years. You may choose to leave the mulch between plants, where it will keep the soil moist and help prevent annual weeds from sprouting. If you mulched your spring bulbs and other perennials, gradually remove the mulch as it thaws. Don’t use these products if you plan to seed, unless you find one designed specifically for use with newly planted grass seed. Because their effectiveness wanes over time, there is no reason to apply crabgrass preventers early. Typically, that means waiting until the last week of April or the first week of May. Pre-emergence herbicides should be applied and watered lightly into the lawn two weeks before crabgrass is expected to sprout. It does take several years of applications to be most effective. ![]() It prevents many annual seeds from sprouting and provides a natural source of nitrogen. If you’d like to try a greener product, use one containing corn gluten meal. If you’ve had a lot of trouble with crabgrass or other annual weeds in your lawn, you can use a product combining fertilizer with a pre-emergence herbicide in the affected areas. Only then will grass plants be able to make best use of the nutrients. However, if you do plan to fertilize the lawn, wait until it’s growing actively enough that you’ve had to mow it a couple times. If you fertilized the lawn last September, you probably won’t need to fertilize again this spring. Usually, letting air and sunshine penetrate is all that’s necessary for grass to recover from snow mold. If you see matted areas in the lawn, use a lightweight leaf rake to break them up. Because we had so much snow late this winter, we might have quite a bit of snow mold. Try to stay off the grass as much as possible while the soil is still moist and spongy underfoot. ![]() Here are some guidelines for what to do, and when: Although the timing of spring chores can’t be dictated by the calendar, jumping the gun can be a waste of effort, and sometimes a waste of money. I may be stating the obvious, but it’s too early to get your yard and garden ready for the growing season. “You’ll be able to see it.” What can you do until then? “Go to a park,” he advised. “It can’t withstand wear and tear - and that means raking.” He expects the grass to be rake-ready by the first of May. While we may have come out of hibernation, our grass has not. What will it do? “More harm than good,” said Brian Horgan, a turf grass expert and associate professor at the University of Minnesota.
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