Established bigleaf, panicle, oakleaf and smooth hydrangea plants can often benefit from regular pruning. Removing about one-third of the oldest stems each year will result in a fuller, healthier plant. This type of pruning is easiest to do in winter, since the absence of leaves makes it easier to see and reach inside plants.
Gardeners may also want to prune to control height or to remove old flower heads. The best time for this type of pruning differs between species. Bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangea, which flower on previous year's growth, should be pruned shortly after flowering is complete. Panicle and smooth hydrangea flower on current year's growth and can be pruned anytime from late summer until early spring. If pruning these two species in the spring, try to prune before leaves appear. Plants of H. arborescens 'Annabelle' have been known to produce a second flush of flowers if pruned lightly after the first flowering.
Stems of bigleaf hydrangea that have been damaged by cold should be pruned as soon as it is determined that they are dead. Watch for new growth at the base of the plant. If your plant has basal shoots that are 6 to 8 inches in length, but the upper parts of the stems are still bare, then the bare stems need to be removed. For bigleaf hydrangea plants that are subject to frequent weather-related dieback, other than removing the dead stems, you probably won’t ever need to do any other pruning – Mother Nature has been doing the work for you.
The hydrangeas bloom in May and June. Magnolia Landscape Supply has the traditional hydrangeas for the shade and we also have the Limelight and Phantom hydrangea that are good for full sun.
Hydrangeas grow best in moist, well-drained soil. Most hydrangeas benefit from some shade, especially in hot climates. Bigleaf, oakleaf and smooth hydrangeas will usually perform well on the north side of a house or planted at the edge of a woodland (see image at right). As discussed earlier, growing hydrangeas in deep shade is not necessary and can greatly reduce flowering.
The amount of sun that hydrangeas can tolerate depends on species, climate and availability of water. Panicle hydrangea tolerates more sun than do other species. Plants grown in hot climates require more shade than do those grown in the colder limits of adaptation. In southern climates, providing frequent and adequate watering will allow hydrangeas to tolerant more sun than if they were subjected to moisture stress.
Source: http://www.usna.usda.gov
Fall is the optimal time to select and plant trees and shrubs. Planting in the fall encourages a good root development, which allows the plants to get established before spring.
You should consider planting deciduous trees on the south and west sides of structures to provide summer shade and it would also not block the winter sun which aids in warming the structure.
October is the time for planting winter pansies,snapdragons, pinks, flowering kale, flowering cabbage and fall mums when the summer’s flowers have faded away but now is the time to prep those flower beds. It is just too hot to go ahead and plant these. If we get an early fall snap you might consider planting late September but they are fall weather plants.
You can divide the crowded perennials just remember to amend your soil before replanting. You should set the divided plants back into the soil at their original height planted as before, water them in well and mulch.
Before you bring your potted tropicals like hibiscus, allamanda, ixora or mandevilla inside for the winter. See if they need to be repotted. If so ease the root ball out of the pot so as not to lose much of the existing soil. If the roots are visibly matted around the bottom or sides of the root ball, it is time to pot into a larger container.
Warm Season lawns like Bermuda and Zoysia should not fertilized now. You can over-seed lawns with fresh seed to help fill in the bare spots and crowd out weeds and mosses. If you choose to over-seed your warm-season lawn with a temporary winter lawn grass like annual rye grass, the best dates to do this are from September 1 until November 1.
As stated above this is not the time to fertilize warm-season grasses.
It is recommended that you take soil tests for your lawn and planting areas.
Fall is the time to apply lime as needed. It takes several months to react with acid in your soil to raise the PH to optimal levels. An optimal PH for most plants and lawn is between 6 and 7. Having the proper PH enables your lawn and other plants to utilize the fertilizer in the most efficient way. This results in better plant growth and savings of fertilizer costs. Doing this now, would prepare you for next years spring growth.
· Revitalize your heat-stressed geraniums or begonias for the upcoming fall season by lightly pruning, fertilizing and watering.
· Remember to not cut back perennials until their leaves and stems have lost all green color.
· Prune houseplants that grew so well during the summer while outdoors before you bring them inside.
· You can lightly prune out dead and/or diseased wood from your trees and shrubs now, but hold off on major pruning until about mid-winter. Pruning now may stimulate tender new growth prior to frost.
Fall is a good time to replenish your mulches around trees and shrubs, and water every three to five days. Since it has been a wet summer, you should spot check on what needs watering.
Your outdoor container plants need to be checked for water as well.
During the late summer, when pecan kernels are forming, is a critical time for moisture stress. Pecans should get at least one inch of water weekly. Mature trees can lose hundreds of gallons of water daily through transpiration; unless this lost moisture is replaced, the trees will lose fruit and leaves. Also it would be advisable to mow around the trees to remove vegetation that can use the trees’ moisture. Mowing also creates a smooth surface for harvesting.
· Remove any diseased plants as soon as you spot it, as well as those that are finished and dying off for the year. Your healthy plant material can be composted.
· Keep all fallen fruit cleaned up to deter pests and disease.
· Keep up with your spray schedule on roses since blackspot and mildew can be extremely damaging in September and October.
· Selective applications of herbicides on perennial weeds are very effective during the fall while the weeds are storing nutrients in their roots for winter.
· Slugs are especially active in September – you should apply slug bait, diatomaceous earth or other slug-control products. Slugs lay clusters of eggs about the size of a small BB. They would usually be under stones, boards and around the edge of your lawn for these colorless eggs and destroy any you find.
To have a lesser fire ant problem next spring, you should get them this fall. See your Quality Co-op store personnel for details.
While you are pruning and/or repotting your houseplants that have spent summers outside, you should check them for any sign of insect or disease before bringing them indoors. Gradually reintroduce these plants to indoor conditions.
· The beginning of fall (autumnal equinox) is Thursday September 22.
· You can remove stakes and cages as summer plants finish for the year, and stake tall-growing autumn blooms like salvia, dahlias and chrysanthemums.
· If you will be planting blueberries, rhododendrons or blue hydrangeas, you should prepare the soil now for a spring planting. Add sulfur according to soil test to lower pH. Add organic matter like leaf compost.
· Consider building a cold frame to extend the growing season.
· Fall is a wonderful time for sumptuous decorating. The richer colors, dried seed pods and grasses, and ample harvest provide supplies for some wonderful centerpieces, swags and crafts. Let your imagination be your guide.
· For the Christmas cactus you should start holding back on water and fertilizer until the buds appear.
· Rake up any fallen leaves and compost them. If you don’t have a compost bin or heap, September is a good time to begin one. You can layer grass clippings, dried fallen leaves, soil, a handful of fertilizer and a little moisture. Shredded garden debris can be added as annuals and perennials die back.
· If you have an existing compost heap, now is the time to give it another turn.
· Give your big trees a good once over: be on the lookout for dead or splitting branches, cavities or rotten wood along trunks or branches, mushrooms at the base, cracks or splits in trunks, and trees that have been topped or heavily pruned. If you see any signs of hazards, call a professional tree service. Also trim any tree limbs dangerously close to your roof.
· Consider marking your perennials with permanent tags or create a map, a good thing to have in a garden journal, showing their locations so you’ll know where and what they are when they die back at the end of the season. This will help you to avoid digging up something you intended to keep when you plant bulbs and plants this fall and next spring.
· Keep those weeds at bay will help to improve the appearance of your garden and the health of your plants.
· Don’t forget the birds will soon begin their winter migrations. Put out extra bird feeders to build up their strength before their long journey.
Spring is the second best time to plant trees and shrubs, unless you are planting tender shrubs or flowers.
There are several reasons that it is the optimal time such as:
· When transplanting make sure to dig a large enough root ball (get as much of the root system as is possible), get the plant back into the prepared soil as quickly as possible to keep the roots from drying out.
· Now is the time to replace your summer flowers with the more winter hardy ones. For the fall colors, look towards the Pansies and Violas. They are the number one choice for blooming-bedding plants. They are hardy and will bloom over the long season. They come in a wide range of colors also. Other bedding plants to consider include snapdragons, and dianthus. For colorful foliage, see the Croton or Ornamental kale/cabbage.
· Camellias will soon be coming into bloom. First the Sasanqua and later the popular Camellia japonica. Select new varieties for a winter planting while in flower.
· Don’t forget, plants with berries can add color to the landscape. Pyracantha, Hollies, Nandina and Beautyberry are just a few of the choices available for bright, winter interest.
· Citrus trees should have ripening summer fruit. Don’t get too eager to harvest as most taste much better after a couple frosts, and fruit is a very colorful addition to the landscape.
· A soil test is recommended every two or three years.
· An ideal time to adjust high-acidic lawn and garden soil is late fall and early winter. Centipede is the exception but most grasses prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH. And the only way to know whether your lawn is in need of an application of agricultural lime and how much is: …to have the soil’s pH tested, however, most soils do not require yearly applications. Your soil test let’s you know the proper fertilizer ratio to apply to lawn and shrubs.
· Begin gearing up for your tree pruning. Prune the dead limbs now before leaves fall will help to identify which limb needs to go, and any hazardous limbs that should be removed. Continue to hold off on major pruning for a couple of months as any unnecessary pruning now can still encourage new growth that would easily get freeze-damage in the event of frost/freeze.
· Don’t get in a hurry to prune woody plants. Late December through February is typically the best time to prune them - even later into March for crape myrtles. Once the trees and shrubs are dormant, begin selective pruning those plants that don’t bloom in the early spring
· You can shape your evergreens or berry plants, like holly and yaupon, now and the trimmings can be enjoyed as cut material inside the house. Use good pruning practices when selecting greenery from landscape plants. Don’t destroy the natural form and beauty of the plant.
· Clean-up rose beds. Be sure all diseased leaves are raked and disposed to help reduce diseases next season.
· If you have drip irrigation you may consider turning it off now but, stay on top of the weather. Where there is no rain, you need to make sure to irrigate as the soil becomes dry. Dry roots are more easily injured by freezing temperatures. This is particularly true of evergreen plants. Moist soil can store more of the sun’s energy and for a longer time than dry soil. This energy is released as heat after the sunsets and provides a degree or two of moderation.
· Also protect your lawn from excessive winter-damage by providing irrigation during dry periods
· Inspect your trees and shrubs for bagworm capsules. Remove and destroy them to reduce next year’s pest population.
· For fruit trees, it is a good time to apply the first application of dormant spray (the first of three applications needed between now and March 1st, to get the job done while trees are dormant). Most trees want a lime sulfur spray. Use copper for preventing Peach Leaf Curl. Also, scale and other hard-to-kill insect pests may be over wintering on your trees or shrubs. Pecan and fruit trees, euonymus, camellias and holly are favorite hosts. Spray with dormant oil, following label directions on the container to avoid plant damage. Protect any winter annuals from the oil spray.
· Remove all old fruit from trees and rake and destroy those on the ground.
· Rake leaves from around fruit trees to help control insect populations and remove disease-causing organisms over wintering on leaf debris. You will help reduce rodent populations by removing all fruit remaining on the tree or on the ground.
· Protect trunks of fruit trees from rodent/rabbit damage with tree wraps.
· Remember, every weed pulled now will be many less to pull in spring.
· Control dandelions, henbit and chickweed before spring green up.
· Winter heating dries the air out in your home considerably which will dry out your houseplants too. Help them by misting them or placing the pots on a pebble-filled tray of water to ensure adequate humidity and moisture.
· Make sure the canes of climbing roses and other vining plants are securely fastened to their supports. Winter winds can severely damage unprotected plants. Also, any newly planted trees or shrubs should be staked to protect them from wind during winter storms. Keep them staked until the roots have a chance to develop and anchor them.
· Keep leaves raked from the lawn. They should be composted. This would also be a good time to just mow over them, turning them to mulch, which adds important nutrients back to the lawn.
· Check the mulch throughout the landscape. It’s a good practice to keep about a three-inch layer of organic mulch around all plants year-round, so add more to any bare or thin spots. The mulch will help keep the soil and plant roots warm. However, avoid piling mulch up against the trunks and stems of your plants.
· Collect dried seedpods, grass stalks, seed heads and other dried plant materials, as well as your trimmings from your berrying shrubs for use in making flower or plant arrangements.
· Start a compost pile with fall garden debris.
· If you have deciduous trees, keep on top of the leaves. If you compost, you should shred the leaves before composting or run a lawn mower over them. If not, they can mat and take forever to decompose, making a slippery, gooey mass in your compost pile or beds.
· Winter sun can scald newly planted trees. Protect them by wrapping the trunks with special tree wrapping tape. Add four to six inches of shredded bark, wood chips or leaves around the base of the tree. After applying, gently pull mulch away from the base.
Be planning your fall beds and plantings. This is the time for the soil prep.
All container-grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted. Make sure to prepare your soil by mixing good-sized quantities of a processed manure, and compost in with your existing soil to amend it.
This is a good time to test your soil for fall fertilization requirements, if you haven’t had it done in the last three years or so. A soil test would make you better prepared to add what it needs. This will save time and money, rather than add anything and everything needlessly. I have heard it put something like this: adding lime or fertilizer to untested soil is like adding salt to your food without tasting it first.
- Woody plants and roses should only be fertilized now as needed. It can stimulate new growth that would not have time to harden off before winter. Discontinue altogether after Labor Day.
- Keep your annuals blooming possibly right on into fall, by watering and fertilizing.
- You can continue feeding your houseplants as usual with a good slow release granular fertilizer.
- Keep up the good work on fertilizing your container and hanging basket plants. If you have been using a liquid, try a slow release during this extra watering time. It can cut back on your labor while maintaining their health and beauty.
- If your hibiscus foliage is beginning to yellow it could be lack of iron. You can drench to soil around the base of the plant with a liquid iron (always follow label directions exactly) and you should see your foliage begin to green up within a week or so.
-To turn a Pink Hydrangea blue, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate. To turn a Blue Hydrangea pink, add ground limestone.
- Most woody plants and shrubs should be pruned of the dead or diseased wood. You can do minor pruning of tips and such but save the major pruning until later in winter.
- Go ahead and clip your evergreen hedges as needed. This should hold them over until next spring.
- If your petunias are leggy and need reviving, try cutting them back to about six inches and feed them with a water-soluble fertilizer, as the label directs. This allows for root drenching and foliar feeding. Your plants should be flowering again within a couple weeks or so.
- Perennials and rose bushes would benefit from a minor pruning and the crape myrtles faded flowers can be trimmed off to encourage a re-bloom.
· The main thing to keep an eye on in August is water. Make sure you water deeply and thoroughly to get the most benefit of it.
· Keep an eye on your azaleas and camellias. Meeting their water needs will help assure the future blooms to be the best they can be.
- Container plants, and hanging baskets need to check every day because of the summer heat, and it is wise to check below the surface. Poke your finger in the soil; see for yourself if the ground over an inch down is dry or moist. This will help prevent you from over watering also.
· Your compost also needs to be moistened regularly to keep it active.
· Your sod may become extremely dry due to no rain or no irrigation, if so consider watering it before you mow. If you mow it in that extreme condition, it can stress the sod and expose it to the heat of the sun and drying effect of the wind.
· Always follow the label directions of any chemical you use, EXACTLY.
· Fruit trees should be on a regular spray program. Check with us here at Magnolia Landscape Supply for suggestions.
· Always clean up all fallen fruit from your fruit trees and any fallen rose leaves, to help reduce pests and diseases next year.
· Remove any old plants that are not producing any longer, to eliminate a breeding grounds for insects and disease organisms
· If you need to, apply a fungicide to the lawn to control turf diseases like brown patch, dollar spot and others.
· Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquito larvae so keep an eye for it. Empty out where you see it and don’t forget to change the water in your birdbath often so it doesn’t become a breeding ground too.
· Control weeds before they go to seed. Those seed are another batch of trouble for next year. Weeds can also use up the water and nutrients that your plants need, as well as can get too big and push out your plants. They also harbor disease and insects.
· Roses would benefit from a spraying of a rose fungicide like the Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care that we carry, to keep black spot and other problems under control.
· White flies are attracted to yellow, so use yellow sticky boards to reduce or monitor their population.
· Imagine the beautiful color of the plants in containers or hanging baskets around your patio or on the porch. Use a potting mix when planting them and add Hydrostretch, which is a water-holding polymer. It will help to reduce the frequency of watering.
· Try raising the cutting height of your lawnmower during the hottest part of summer. The longer blades of your sod will provide a little extra shade for its roots and also acts as insulation, helping retain moisture in the soil.
· Establish a new compost pile to accommodate the extra grass clippings of summer and future fall leaves, but don’t put weeds with mature seed heads in as they can germinate next year when you use this compost. If you have used an herbicide on your grass this year, wait two or three mowings before collecting the clippings to add to a compost pile but remember, it’s a good thing to let the clippings work for you in the yard. They are beneficial to your soil by returning nutrients back into the soil and like mulch, they aid in sheltering the soil from the drying sun and wind.
· Hummingbirds will be migrating back through during August. Think about them when putting in any new perennials and don’t forget to get the feeders ready.
Planting- Bulbs such as iris and daylilies can be divided even when they are blooming. This would be an opportune time if you have different colors and want to work with them for the current season. Simply cut off the existing flowers and cut the leaves back, dig and divide and replant as soon as possible, or you can tag the colors for later dividing. When you purchase container plants, check the root ball and loosen the roots if they are tightly wound in the pot. You need to keep as much dirt intact on the roots as possible as this will help the roots to acclimate to their new location. Whether it is your accent plants or your focal point for your yard, many people prefer to buy trees and shrubs while in bloom to make sure the colors are what they like such as the Hydrangea, Crape myrtle, Oleander or Magnolia.
Fertilizing - Don’t miss out on the opportunity to fertilize your plants. Not just for the health and growth of your plants but also for your blooming plants to help produce more and better and ater well after fertilizing.
Azaleas and camellias should be fertilized right after they have finished blooming and roses after each bloom time. We carry fertilizers specifically for your blooming needs.
Container gardens are a beautiful addition to your patio or porches but they will need additional attention such as fertilizer. You can give them regular doses of a water-soluble fertilizer or try a slow release granular fertilizer that will release a little every time you water.
Watering/Irrigation - Most professionals will recommend that watering be done in the morning for the most benefit including helping to slow down evaporation of the water. But if you find your plants/lawn are drying out due to an extremely hot summer and/or drought time, go ahead and give them more water perhaps in the early afternoon. Also, check your container plants, they will dry out quicker.
Mulch is a good addition to your flower beds and plantings, it helps to shade the soil and keep it cooler which helps retain moisture during the hot days.
If you have irrigation, keep an eye out for broken sprinkler heads. This will help you avoid dry areas and wasted water. Consider having a “Rain Check” control added to your system. This helps reduce over watering by not allowing your system to water after a rain shower. As the plants grow they may interfere with the sprinkler so keep things trimmed back.
It is a good idea to water slowly and deeply. This will encourage your plants to grow deeper roots. That can make them more stable and keeps the roots away from the upper drier soil.
Pruning and Maintenance - It is possible to have roses, and some perennials re-bloom. The best way to encourage it is to “dead head” your plant by removing the old blooms. Annuals can also be deadheaded and re-bloom most of the summer. Your hanging baskets will benefit as well with a good once over for dead blooms and shaping.
Pinch back any of your plants that seem to be getting leggy and out of shape. Whether it’s an annual or perennial, pruning your plant helps make it healthier and look better. Most evergreens benefit from pruning. The optimum time would be around June and July.
For maximum flavor of your herbs, pick or harvest just before flowering as the leaves have the most oil content.
Miscellaneous - To help you keep up with what you have planted, where it is, and info on the plants, try keeping up with this in a notebook or on your computer. This information can save you time and money. You can look back and see which plant needed what fertilizer, when and so on.
Avoid the heat and humidity of our hot summers by working in the early a.m. or later afternoon into the evening makes the time you spend working in the yards a little easier.
While you are out in the yard working in your lawn and gardens, involve your kids or grand kids. Have them help you weed, plant or most anything. It is good exercise, and helps them to learn that sense of pride of a job well done. Being outside, helping, is time spent with you they will never forget.
Speaking of weeding, if you weed in your flowerbeds on a regular basis it makes that chore a little easier to deal with. Ground cloth or mulch is good for weed prevention also. If you put mulch around woody plants don’t pile it on close around the trunks. Just a couple inches deep starting a few inches away is plenty.
If you have a compost heap or bins, remember the heat of the summer can also dry them out. Moisture is the key and it should also be turned regularly to aide in the natural decomposition.
Stake tall flowers to keep them from blowing over and tie up your climbing roses or other vines for a more secure plant. Make sure any plant or tree you have ties on are loose enough so as not to cut into the stems.
Pests - Is there something eating at your plant’s leaves/stem/bloom? Do you have a white/gray/black residue on it? You should always research your problem to identify what is actually going on with your plant. This will lead you to the best solution but you will need the most information of the problem. It is wise as well, to chose the lest toxic solution and follow the directions completely.
Roses are prone to mildew, black spot, aphids and other diseases and insect. Identify and take action. The sooner you identify the problem and take action, the better your plant will be.
It seems that the ever so vital honeybee, maybe suffering from the pesticides sold on the shelves as well as the pest they were designed for. Just a couple tweaks in our pesticide application habits will aide in the promotion of their population. Try using a liquid pesticide instead of a dust and try applying later in the afternoon/evening when the bees are mostly heading back to the hive.
Here at Magnolia Landscape Supply, we have a large selection of pesticides, we can help you identify the problem and find a solution.
Lawn - If your lawn seems compacted, hard for water to absorb or have a nematode problem, you may want to aerate your lawn. We have an aerator for rent here at Magnolia Landscape Supply.
A good rule of thumb for mowing is to cut off no more than 1/3 of the grass blade at each mowing. If your grass is “growing like a weed”, try more frequent mowing to maintain better grass. As for your St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses, they would be better off at a mowed height of around 3”. This helps to shade the soil and saves the moisture in the soil.
To prevent the ragged cut of a grass blade, keep your mower blades sharp.
You should consider leaving the trimmings, if there isn’t an excessive amount due to overgrowth. The trimmings will make their way to the soil, returning nitrogen of the grass back to the soil.
If you have an area that is too shady for grass, try using ground cover plants or a mulch.
One secret to having the appearance of a professionally mowed lawn, is to keep a nice clean edge around the flowerbeds, sidewalk, driveway, etc. so pull out the edger or grass shears and keep it neat and tidy.