General Plant Care

Early Spring – March/ April 

• This is the best time for spring clean up.
   

• Cut back time- Early spring is the time for cutting back many flowering shrubs and cleaning up perennials for the spring flush.
   

• Shrubs that flower on “new wood” should be pruned at this time.  Some of these plants are:

• Buddleia (butterfly bush)

• Callicarpa (beautyberry)

• Calluna (heather)

• Caryopteris (blue spirea)

• Hamamelis virginiana (common witch hazel)

• Hydrangea paniculata and H. arborescens

• Hypericum ‘Sunburst’, ‘Hidcote’, ‘Aubrey’s Purple’ (St. john’s wort)

• Potentilla

• Rhus (sumac)

• Rose (can usually be pruned at any time of the year)

• Spirea x bumalda, and S. japonica

• Vitex (chaste tree)

• Yucca

• It is highly recommended that most pruning and shaping of trees and shrubs be done by a professional to ensure proper horticultural practices are observed and the aesthetic quality and health of the plant are maintained.
   

• Evergreen perennials (i.e.. Liriope) and subshrubs (i.e.. Artemisia, lavender) should be cut back or cleaned of winter leaves at this time.
   

• Ornamental grasses should be cut to 3-6” above soil level depending on the size of the plant.
   

• Watering is generally not recommended at this time of the year except for new installations over the winter season. Heavy spring rains and snow usually take care of the watering requirement of the plants.
   

Summer- June-August 

• This is the best time for general pruning.
   

• early spring and summer blooming shrubs that flower on “old wood” shouldn’t be pruned until right after they are done blooming otherwise the flower buds for that year will be lost. Some of these plants are:

  • Corylus (filbert)

  • Deutzia

  • Erica (heath)

  • Forsythia

  • Hamamelis x intermedia, H. japonica, H. mollis (hybrid, Japanese, and Chinese witch hazels)

  • Lindera (spice bush)

  • Mahonia (grapeholly)

  • Pieris (Andromeda)

  • Rhododendron sp. (includes azaleas)

  • Sarcococca (sweetbox)

  • Skimmia

  • Berberis (barberry)

  • Fothergilla

  • Prunus (cherry and skip laurels)

  • Spirea thunbergii, S. x anhouttei

  • Salix (pussy willow)

  • Viburnum
     

• It is highly recommended that most pruning and shaping of trees and shrubs be done by a professional to ensure proper horticultural practices are observed and the aesthetic quality and health of the plant is maintained.
   

• Watering of plant material (especially if it is newly installed, or transplanted) during this time is critical. This is one of two natural dry seasons and can highly stress, or even be detrimental to plants, if not addressed. Generally, 2-3 days a week at 45 min of watering should take care of most plant requirements. There are situations where more frequent or deeper watering is needed, i.e.: large tree installations and lawn renovation.
   

Fall- September-December

• Fall is a good time for work in the garden, i.e.: cutting back spent perennials, adding fall annuals to carry the garden through to the following spring, planning a great display for the following spring by installing bulbs, and general fall clean-up. This is also a good time for new plantings because of the lower temperatures, higher rainfall amounts, and lower water requirements.
   

• Most pruning requirements should have been met at this time but some selective pruning, and dormant pruning can be done at this time. Dormant pruning is generally done on ornamental trees and shrubs that do not flower during the growing season. Since a lot of flowering shrubs have already set their flower buds for next year, heavy pruning of these plants would remove the buds and is not advisable. As always, it is highly recommended that pruning and shaping of trees and shrubs to be done by a landscape professional to ensure proper horticultural practices are observed, and the aesthetic quality and health of the plant are maintained.
   

• Water requirements at this time are usually minimal, necessary only for new plant installs, seeding, and sodding. As in the spring, rainfall usually takes care of the water requirements or most plants, additionally the plants are going into their dormant state at this time therefore the requirements are lower than during the growing season.
   

• Fall clean up schedule starts in November. Quotes are available upon request.

As always, if there are any additional questions or concerns, or to schedule work please contact us at 610-279-2612, or at stengerlandscape@aol.com.