Winter Garden To-do List
Don’t stop gardening! Just because winter’s frosty temperatures invite you to stay cozy inside with a cup of tea by the fireplace, you’ll appreciate it all the more if you spend a little time in your garden first. Plus, you’ll get a jump on your spring garden “to-do” list! So, pick a sunny winter Saturday, layer on some woolies and grab your wheelbarrow for a few chilly chores.
- Pay special attention to watering during winter. It is very important in this climate since "dry cold" conditions exist at times.
- Now is a good time to make structural improvements in a landscape. Winter is one of the best times to design and install hardscapes.
- Some leaf removal may still be necessary.
- Come February, begin pre-emergent herbicide application to lawns (our Garden Maintenance Division offers several options!)
- Shade tree pruning for safety and structural enhancement should be done this month. Do not top trees or prune just for the sake of pruning.
- Mid-February is a good time to start fertilization of all trees and shrubs except for azaleas and rhododendrons.
- Need some fresh indoor color? Force spring flowering branches like forsythia, quince, peach, apple, and Weigelia for indoor bloom.
- Dormant oil sprays should be applied to control insects on infected plants (if not previously done).
- Fertilizer: feed tulips in early February with a fertilizer that is higher in nitrogen. Fertilize neglected trees and shrubs in landscape beds or lawn that will not receive supplemental fertilization.
- Check for arborvitae aphids on many evergreen shrubs during the warmer days of early spring.
- Time to cut back ornamental grasses--cut Liriope and grasses like Pennisetum and Miscanthus back to slightly above the crown. (6–18" depending on plant size and age, by the third week of February).
- Mulch beds if needed.
- Fertilize blooming shrubs with superphosphate if they did not look well the previous season (such as hydrangea, crape myrtle, wisteria, etc.)
- Apply appropriate pre-emergent to any pansy beds having a history of severe weed problems from henbit or chickweed (late February).
- Fertilize pansies monthly if weather permits active growth.
- As weather warms up, watch for aphids on daylilies, quince, and roses.
- Spray junipers with fungicide to prevent tip blight.
- Begin protective sprays for black spot on roses, Photinia leaf spot, and rust on crabapples.
As always, J.W. Townsend, Inc. is here to help! Call Steve Pekary for a maintenance consultation—we can lighten your winter gardening load with a one-time visit or establish a customized program for your landscape.