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 How to Guide: Spring Garden Care
The snow has melted, the birds are chirping and your plants are waking up. What now! Get outside and clean up the landscape beds so your plantings will look their best this season. Below is a step by step guide to make your job easier.
Steps for Spring Garden Care
Pruning
For woody plants pruning is best done before the new growth appears on plants. This will give the plant more time to renew itself this season. Click here to learn more.
It is not recommended to immediate prune the following:
- Birches
- Hemlocks
- Maples
- Anything which produces sap
Herbaceous plants like perennials and grasses cutback to the ground. Throw all dead tops into the compost pile.
Roses
- Prune at leaf buds
- 2/3 of the plant should be pruned
- 2/3 in Height
- Do not prune climbers 2/3
- Cut about 1/3 back to stimulate good plant health
Winter Damage
Winter Damage can occur because of freezing temperatures over an extended period of time.
- Notice black stems, leaf buds
- Desiccation on evergreens
- Rhododendrons
- Hollies
- Any broadleaf evergreen
- Prune out damaged portions of the plant
- Use Biopak Plus to green up your yews, rhododendrons, and other broadleaf evergreens
Frost Damage
Frost Damage can occur when cold temperatures affect leaf buds or foliage. Foliar damage can look like the leaf was cooked over a grill, black and wrinkled.
Check for Pests
- Monitoring for pests helps save you money and nature at the same time
- Click Here for Year Long Insect Protection so you can know what to watch for
- Apply pesticides where needed. We have a full line of natural and synthetic products available.
Prepare the bed
- Plot out where you would like to have a new bed
- Edge the bed and put material into the compost pile.
Fertilizing
Fertilizer is the key to a healthy garden.
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Roses
- Need fertilizers that are higher in potassium and phosphorus
- Recommended Fertilizers:
- Espoma Rose Tone
- 5-10-5 Espoma Garden Fertilizer
- Use Espoma Potash to increase potassium
- Strengthens the structure of the plant
- Helps with how the plant responses to water stress
- Use Espoma Super Phosphate to increase phosphorus
- Strengthens flower production and stronger root
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Trees
- Use Tree-tone or Ross Tree Spikes
- Depending on the age the tree may need more fertilizer
- Older trees require deep root feeding
- 3.14 x Radius squared
- Newly established trees have less roots
- Use 10-10-10 with a phosphorus supplement
- Just as if you were taking multiple pills to help with a sickness
Perennials and Shrubs
- Holly-Tone
- Plant Tone
- Osmocote
- Go Natural?
- There are many alternatives to synthetic fertilizers
Mulching
- Pull away old mulch and put into the compost pile.
- Apply Preen before mulching. Preen is a pre-emergence herbicide that will prevent weed seedlings from starting.
- Then cover with new mulch at a thickness of 2-3” depth. There are many types of mulch. Click here to learn more.
- Note: Landscape fabric can also be used to help with weed suppression. If you use the fabric place on the area prior to mulching.
Other Maintenance
Dividing Perennials
- What you need?
- Water
- Water the plant after you have divided
- A new spot for the perennial
- Dig a hole that is comparable to the section you have just divided
- Use Healthy Start Fertilizer
- Zero Burn Potential
- Natural microbial's to help build new roots
- Increases organic content in the soil
- Slow releasing
*NOTE – Read all fertilizer and pesticide labels for correct use and application rates.
By: Kenneth C. Roth, MCH
Organic Compost
Did you know Northeast Nursery carries their own line of organic compost? Perfect for lawn and garden care. Click here to learn more. |
Printable Fact Sheet
UMASS has provided Northeast Nursery with downloadable fact sheets for common garden concerns and tips. Click here for the Spring Plant Care fact sheet. |
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