October Landscape Activities

28 September 2008

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Office
460 Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
phone: 434.872.4580   fax: 434.872.4578

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Now that we are settling into some fall weather you might be inspired to get out and do some fall cleanup, spring preparation, or maybe plant a tree. Here are some suggested activities and ideas for the next few weeks.

Old, fallen leaves contain the disease inoculum for plant infections next year. If you have disease-infected plants, prune out infected branches in the late fall and winter when the disease-causing organism is inactive. Remove any infected debris from around the base of the plant and dispose of it.

Looking to put some outstanding fall color into your landscape? Check out Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'). It is a medium-sized shrub that spreads by rhizomes, ultimately forming a large stand if left unchecked, loaded with 2 to 6-inch-long racemes of fragrant, white, late-spring flowers lasting two to three weeks. Virginia sweetspire prefers a moist, fertile soil, but is adaptable to full sun or part shade and has no major disease or insect problems.

Start a family tradition by planting a tree or shrub in honor of a holiday, birthday, or anniversary. While celebrating the special occasion, you can also beautify your landscape and improve the air quality around your home.

When selecting trees for fall color, keep in mind that color is more strongly influenced by genes in the plant than by the environment. Trees selected in the fall when they are in full color can be expected to produce the same colors in future years.

Another thing to consider when selecting trees to plant is the potential for insects and diseases on these plants. Do they have significant pest problems we can predict and what are you able and willing to do to protect your investment?

You probably can name some annual and perennial flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds. If you want to plant some common trees visited by hummingbirds consider this list: buckeyes and horse chestnut (Aesculus species), crabapple (Malus species), hawthorn (Crataegus species), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), Siberian pea shrub (Caragana arborescens), and tulip tree (Lirodendron tulipifera).

The top of shrub or tree roots should be flush with the ground so the planting hole should be no deeper than the root ball.

To minimize the look of open spaces between new shrubs, plant a low-growing ground cover, such as bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) or winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei).

Your trees and shrubs have begun to harden for the upcoming cold weather. To encourage this, remove mulch from around the stems of shrubs and trees.

October and November are generally considered the best months to plant trees and shrubs. Garden centers and nurseries usually stock a good selection of woody plants at this time of year. Select some accent plants for your landscape that will provide autumn colors. Trees that turn red include dogwood, sweet gum, and red or scarlet oak. Shrubs with red fall foliage include viburnum, winged euonymus, and barberry.

While you can still identify them easily, prune dead and diseased branches from trees and shrubs.

Light pruning of both needle and broadleaf evergreens is recommended in late fall to encourage a strong framework to help the plant overcome any snow damage. Remove any weak or crowded branches.

In deciding on new trees or shrubs to plant around your home, remember to select varieties with a mature height to fit the desired location. This will greatly reduce pruning and other maintenance in the future.

Make a note of plants displaying outstanding fall colors as you drive along city streets and the surrounding countryside. You may wish to incorporate some of them into your own landscape.

If your climbing roses are in an exposed location, tie them up firmly with broad strips of rags so the wind will not whip them against the trellis and bruise the bark.

Use cold frames to over winter cuttings of trees and shrubs and perennial seedlings started in mid- to late summer. Bulbs prepared for forcing also can be stored in cold frames until time to take them indoors.

It is too late this year to prune roses because they would become subject to winter injury. However, the rose garden should be raked and cleaned to prevent black spot and other diseases. Additional mulch should be added after the ground has frozen.

Pick bagworms from evergreen shrubs. This will eliminate the spring hatch from overwintering eggs.

Do not become alarmed if your yews, pines, arborvitae, and junipers begin to shed their interior needles. It is natural for them to do so at this time of year.

White pines are shedding their older needles now. Rake them up and use as mulch on azalea, rhododendron, andromeda, and camellia.

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For more information about this and other landscape topics contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. The local Virginia Cooperative Extension office numbers are Albemarle 872-4580, Fluvanna 591-1950, Greene 985-5236, Louisa 540-967-3422, and Nelson 263-4035.

August Landscape Activities

4 August 2008

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Office
460 Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
phone: 434.872.4580   fax: 434.872.4578

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Many of us take our vacations at this time of year but August is also a month to prepare and repair our landscapes. From the lawn to the trees it is time to take a look around again to see how things are growing or not. Here are some things to consider for your spare time in the dog days of summer.

To maintain a healthy lawn and reduce the potential for ground and surface water contamination, it is important to fertilize at the right time and with the right amount. The best time to fertilize cool-season lawns (Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass) in Virginia is from August 15 through November. Fertilize warm-season grasses (bermudagrass and zoysiagrass) between April 1 and August 15. A soil test can tell you how much fertilizer and what kind of fertilizer to use.

Remember to keep your plants on a once a week watering schedule if the rain is not falling in sufficient amounts in your area. The stress of dry times can set plants up for a hard winter. Many plants, including camellias and rhododendrons, are starting buds for the blooms next year at this time. Immature berries of hollies and pyracantha may be dropped if the plants are water stressed.

If you irrigate your lawn, consider reducing overall lawn size to save water. For example, try joining trees into beds with shrubs and ground covers. Also, try to eliminate hard-to-irrigate lawn areas, such as narrow strips between a walkway and a building, or irregularly shaped areas.

It is not necessary to water an established lawn during the summer, as this is a natural dormant period for turf grass. If you must water your lawn during hot weather, it is best to do it early in the morning. Otherwise, much of the water will evaporate from the grass before the plants get to use it. To further avoid excess evaporation, use a sprinkler that produces large drops of water instead of a fine mist.

If you plan to do some landscape planting this fall, now is a good time to decide on the plants to use and how to arrange them. Since the average American family moves every five years, it makes sense to buy the largest plants you can afford and enjoy them now. If you are planning to stick around longer consider that smaller plants will often adapt to new surroundings quicker and grow faster in the short term than larger specimens of the same species.

Be sure to mow the lawn before going on vacation. If you will be gone over two weeks, arrange to have it cut while you are away. If you do not, too much of the top growth will be removed at the next mowing. Removal of more than 1/3 of the growth at one time weakens the plant.

If you wish to kill grass and weeds growing through cracks in patios, garden walks, or driveways, be extremely cautious. Many weed killers will leach into surrounding areas and damage your ornamentals or lawn. Pulling the weeds is the safest action, but you may wish to use a herbicide, such as those containing glyphosate. If you do, you might try painting it on weeds growing in areas where spraying is not possible.

Order peony roots now for planting in September. It is best to plant about a month before the average first frost date in your area. For most of us in the Piedmont region this is somewhere between October 19 and 29. Planting should be completed before the first killing frost occurs.

Mulched shrubs may not develop mature stem tissue where they touch the mulch. In addition, mulch can keep woody stems too moist, making them more susceptible to pests. To harden stems so they can withstand early frost damage and prevent pest problems, pull mulch back a couple inches from the base of stems and trunks.

Avoid deep cultivation around evergreens that have roots near the ground surface so roots are not damaged.

If azaleas look chlorotic (pale-green to yellow) check soil pH. They need acid soil because alkalinity locks up iron needed for green color. Something in the pH range of 3.7 to 5.5 is ideal. Sulfur reduces soil pH if you need something to amend your soil.

Clean up fallen rose and peony leaves. They can harbor disease and insect pests over the winter if allowed to remain on the ground.

You can root cuttings of woody shrubs and evergreens, such as azaleas, holly, and hydrangea, at this time of year.

Powdery mildew diseases attack a great many ornamentals, most often in late summer when the days are warm and nights cool. Some mildews, particularly those on roses, apples, and cherries, also are increased by high humidity. Prevention by proper cultural techniques is the first defense. Grow resistant varieties, space and prune plants to improve aeration and lessen shading, water early in the day and at the base rather than on leaves, and reduce nitrogen applications to avoid excessive late-season growth.

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For more information about this and other landscape topics contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. The local Virginia Cooperative Extension office numbers are Albemarle 872-4580, Fluvanna 591-1950, Greene 985-5236, Louisa 540-967-3422, and Nelson 263-4035.

March Landscape Activities

10 March 2008

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Office
460 Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
phone: 434.872.4580   fax: 434.872.4578

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It is almost spring. What do you want to get done in your landscape?

Pruning?

When pruning or cutting roses, cut all flower stems 1/4 inch above a complete (5 leaflet) leaf, leaving two complete leaves below the cut bud. Always use sharp, pruning shears and cut on a slant.

After pussy willow catkins have passed their prime, prune the plants drastically to encourage long branches and large catkins for next year.

Hedges can receive their first pruning this month. As you prune, be sure to leave the base of the plant wider than the top. This allows sunlight to get to the bottom of the plant, creating a full, dense hedge.

Be sure to employ properly trained tree trimmers. Pruning is not a particularly difficult job. However, it does require an understanding of the growth habit of the plants and the form needed to secure the desired landscape effect.

Do not leave stubs when pruning. Stubs usually die and are entry points for disease. Cut just outside the branch collar, the slightly thickened area at the base of the branch. Pruning should never be done in damp or wet weather when the fungal spores and bacteria that infect plants through fresh wounds spread easily.

Trees that bleed, such as birch and maple, should not be pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.

Once new growth begins on trees and shrubs, cut back winterkilled twigs to living, green wood.

For more compact pyracanthas without the risk of losing berries, pinch back new growth now.

Prune evergreen shrubs before growth starts. Prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering is completed.

Boxwood should be pruned by thinning the outer foliage of the plant and cutting back the branches to retain desired height.

If you are not sure when to prune a particular plant, ask us for a pruning calendar.

Transplanting?

Plant new rose bushes in properly dug beds. Fertilize established roses after pruning. It is wise to have your soil tested about every two years. If black spot or powdery mildew has been a problem, start applications of a recommended fungicide. Contact your local Extension agent for current recommendations.

When transplanting dogwoods, it is best that the trees be small (2 to 3 feet tall) and dormant. These do better than larger ones. The larger the tree, the greater the risk of death due to transplant shock since more roots are removed during digging. Dogwoods and magnolias should only be moved in early spring. Always move magnolias with a ball of dirt.

Research has shown that young trees allowed to move with the wind develop greater trunk strength than trees rigidly staked.

Plant roses and bare-root shrubs while they are still dormant, about four weeks before the average date of the last frost. This is around May 1 in central Virginia but you might wait until Mothers Day to be sure.

When transplanting a young shade tree, it may help to orient the tree in its new location the same way it was in its old home. This will prevent previously shaded bark from suddenly being exposed to afternoon sun and causing injury. When not possible or desirable, or if the original orientation is unknown, wrap the trunk in biodegradable tree tape or coat the sunny sides with white, exterior, latex paint for one growing season.

Synthetic materials enclosing the roots of trees and shrubs must be completely removed to ensure success of the transplants. If you purchase balled and burlapped plants, to be on the safe side, remove the material covering the soil. If the tree is very heavy, peel the burlap down to the bottom of the hole if you cannot remove it completely.

If you are buying bare-root trees, look for ones with a large root system in relation to the top growth. It is not necessary to purchase a very, large tree to get a quality plant.

If you are planning to plant a rhododendron, consider the planting space. A good rule of thumb for planting rhododendrons is to put them in an area that is slightly shaded and protected from wind. Also, the smaller the leaf (i.e., R. carolinianum, R. laetivirens), the more tolerant it is of winter sunlight. Large-leaf rhododendrons, such as R. catawbiense or R. maximum, have more winter injury when planted in bright locations.

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For more information about this and other landscape topics contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. The local Virginia Cooperative Extension office numbers are Albemarle 872-4580, Fluvanna 591-1950, Greene 985-5236, Louisa 540-967-3422, and Nelson 263-4035.

February Landscape Activities

28 January 2008

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Office
460 Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
phone: 434.872.4580   fax: 434.872.4578

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While the snow was providing a nice blanket and water source for our plants it has also given us an excuse to walk around a see what is happening in the landscape and maybe plan for the new season. If you find yourself looking for something to do with your kids while they are home from school try a tour of your landscape.

Trees with large cavities in their trunks should be evaluated yearly as to whether or not they should be removed for safety reasons. When a cavity takes up over 75 percent of a limb or trunk, the wood could give way anytime. If you suspect a problem, contact an ISA certified arborist. Many are listed in your phone book under Tree.

Broadleaf evergreens can be pruned before new growth begins this spring. This will enable new growth to cover the cut surfaces and exposed inner branches.

Shrubs for spring planting should be ordered now. Bare root, deciduous types should be planted while still dormant, about one month before the average date of the last frost - this is usually in late April. Hardy, container-grown and balled and burlapped shrubs may be planted anytime, except during severe, cold weather. It is also time to transplant deciduous native plants if the ground is not too wet or too frozen.

Watch for signs of heaving among your small shrubs. The freezing and thawing of the ground can force shallow-rooted plants out of the soil. Replant any that have been heaved and mulch with 2 inches of organic material to reduce soil temperature fluctuation.

Try forcing branches of some shrubs to bloom during the bleak days of late winter and early spring. Possibilities include winter honeysuckle, fragrant viburnum, Japanese andromeda, mountain andromeda, azalea, rhododendron, and mountain laurel. Buds of native trees such as dogwood, spicebush, serviceberry, and redbud will blossom indoors as well. Make long, slanted cuts when collecting the branches and place the stems in a vase of water. Change the water every four days. They should bloom within three weeks.

Pussy willows that have been forced can be halted at any stage of their development simply by removing them from water. They will keep perfectly in dried arrangements for years.

Check valuable trees and shrubs for tent caterpillar egg masses and bagworms. Remove them to reduce the number of destructive pests this spring. Eastern tent caterpillar egg masses are gray and varnished looking and form a collar around twigs. Their nests are commonly found on wild cherry, apple, and crabapple, but may be found on hawthorn, maple, cherry, peach, pear and plum as well. Bagworms look somewhat like a pinecone hanging at the end of branches and seem to prefer arborvitae and eastern red cedar but can be found on many others.

Prune most shrubs and trees on warm days this month after the coldest weather is past in your area. Wait until after bloom to prune your spring-flowering shrubs in order to get maximum blossoms.

Remove honeysuckle and other weedy vines from deciduous plants while the plants are still leafless and easier to distinguish from the weeds.

Continue to water shrubs in your landscape throughout the winter on warmer days if the soil is dry. Evergreen plants transpire water from their leaves whenever the air temperature is above 40 degrees F.

Late winter is the time to prune many deciduous trees. Look over your plants now and remove dead, dying, unsightly parts of the tree, sprouts growing at or near the base of the tree trunk, crossed branches, and V-shaped crotches. Call your local Extension office if you are unsure when and how to prune each species.

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For more information about this and other landscape topics contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. The local Virginia Cooperative Extension office numbers are Albemarle 872-4580, Fluvanna 591-1950, Greene 985-5236, Louisa 540-967-3422, and Nelson 263-4035.

November Landscape Activities

12 November 2007

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Office
460 Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
phone: 434.872.4580   fax: 434.872.4578

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November is a time for thanks for the many things we appreciate. It is also a time to think ahead about the holiday season ahead and the ways our landscapes contribute to our well being. Stop for a minute before the holiday rush and take time to appreciate your landscape as it settles into fall and consider some of these activities to improve or make use of your landscape.

If you are an early Christmas tree shopper looking for a live tree for the holidays, be sure to select a Christmas tree that will survive in your climate and soil. In Virginia, white pine (Pinus strobus), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and blue spruce (Picea pungens) are good choices for live Christmas trees that can also be planted outdoors after the holidays.

To protect an upright evergreen from snow damage, drive a strong stake into the ground near the trunk of the tree. Tie a rope to the bottom of the stake and, using the rope, wind up the branches in a circular pattern around the tree. This is a two-person job on large trees. At the top, secure the rope to the stake.

Check guy wires around newly planted trees to be sure hose sections still cover the supporting wires or ropes so they will not damage the trunks in windy weather. Remember that most trees do not need support after the first year.

Continue deep watering of evergreens until freezing weather occurs.

Cut away suckers from the base of lilacs, forsythia, and crape myrtle.

Erect wind breaks to protect newly planted evergreens, especially tender, broad-leaved types, such as Japanese holly and camellia.

If roses are to be planted, do so before the ground freezes, and water well.

Roots of woody ornamentals used as container plants may be killed if soil temperatures get very cold. Among the least hardy are aucuba, English boxwood, camellia, pampas grass, bearberry, cotoneaster, English holly, Japanese holly, star magnolia, and nandina. Their roots are killed when the soil temperature is 20 to 25F.

Clean up rose beds. Be sure all diseased leaves are raked up and destroyed. Spring (before the plants start active growth) is the preferred season for pruning roses. Do not cut off canes in the fall. It is better to stake and tie extra long canes in fall to prevent winter wind damage.

Fertilize wisteria after leaves have fallen to avoid excess top growth and lack of bloom.

Select accent plants for your landscape that will provide interesting autumn colors. Trees that turn red include dogwood, black gum, red maple, sweet gum, and red or scarlet oak. Shrubs with red fall foliage include viburnum, winged euonymus, and barberry.

Leaf fall makes renovation of overgrown deciduous shrubs easier. Begin this year by removing all diseased or broken stems. Next, remove 1/3 of all remaining shoots, eliminating the oldest and tallest. If the bush is still too tall cut the remaining stems to a side bud or branch. Repeat the process a second or third year to complete renovation.

Trim hollies and other evergreens, such as magnolia, aucuba, boxwood, and pyracantha, to furnish material for Thanksgiving decorations.

If you are planning on having a live, balled and burlapped Christmas tree, dig a planting hole now before the ground freezes. Fill the hole with straw or hay to keep it from freezing. Store the soil in a garage or shed so you will have workable soil when you need it for planting the tree.

Inspect trees and shrubs for spindle-shaped silk bags camouflaged with bits of foliage, bark and other debris that are the homes of bagworms. Remove and destroy them to reduce pest populations for next year.

If there is any evidence of scale on trees and shrubs, spray with dormant oil in late fall and again in early spring.

Nurserymen and landscape architects may be less busy over the next few months and be more available to help you with plans for improving your landscape.

Where circumstances necessitate very late planting of trees and shrubs, remember to mulch the area heavily to keep the ground thawed so roots can become established.

Registrations for Master Gardener Volunteer training classes are being accepted in Albemarle, Fluvanna, and Louisa Counties. Please call your local Extension office if you are interested.

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For more information about this and other landscape topics contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. The local Virginia Cooperative Extension office numbers are Albemarle 872-4580, Fluvanna 591-1950, Greene 985-5236, Louisa 540-967-3422, and Nelson 263-4035.