PlantAmerica's Plant Care Sheet
Fertilizing Young Plants
Young plants need extra phosphorus to encourage root development. A starter fertilizer such as 6-18-6 or sterilized bonemeal helps satisfy this need. Apply recommended amount for plant per lable directions at time of planting or at least during the first growing season. Phosphorus does not ”move” in the soil like nitrogen or potassium, therefore most fertilizers have lower middle numbers. The second growing season, switch to a 16-4-8 or other comparable fertilizer with a 4:1:2 ratio.
Fertilizing Established Plants
Established plants benefit from a yearly fertilization. If you have a sandy soil, fertilizing twice per year may be in order. Apply a 16-4-8 or 4:1:2 fertilizer according to label directions, but do not forego the soil test. Organic mulches greatly benefit all plants, keeping roots cool, weed down, moisture in, and enriching the soil. Never fertilize just before frost; this encourages new growth that will be burned by cold weather. The safest time to fertilize is early spring or when you know that new growth will not suffer damage from late frost.
Pruning Spring to Early Summer Flowering Shrubs
For deciduous shrubs that flower in spring or early summer on previous years growth, prune annually after flowering, cutting back to strong buds, farther down the stem, or side shoots to promote new growth. These shrubs tend to produce a lot of new growth at ground level. Example: Kerria japonica
Pruning Flowering Shrubs
It is necessary to prune your deciduous flowering shrub for two reasons: 1. By removing old, damaged or dead wood, you increase air flow, yeilding in less disease. 2. You rejuvenate new growth which increases flower production.
Pruning the deciduous shrub can be divided into 4 groups: Those that require minimal pruning (take out only dead, diseased, damaged, or crossed branches, can be done in early spring.); spring pruning (encourages vigorous, new growth which produces summer flowers – in other words, flowers appear on new wood); summer pruning after flower (after flowering, cut back shoots, and take out some of the old growth, down to the ground); suckering habit pruning (flowers appear on wood from previous year. Cut back flowered stems by 1/2, to strong growing new shoots and remove 1/2 of the flowered stems a couple of inches from the ground) Always remove dead, damaged or diseased wood first, no matter what type of pruning you are doing.
Examples: Minimal: Amelanchier, Aronia, Chimonanthus, Clethra, Corus alternifolia, Daphne, Fothergilla, Hamamelis, Poncirus, Viburnum. Spring: Abelia, Buddleia, Ceonanthus, Datura, Fuchsia, Hibiscus, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Perovskia, Spirea douglasii/japonica, Tamarix. Summer after flower: Buddleia alternifolia, Calycanthus, Chaenomoles, Corylus, Cotoneaster, Deutzia, Forsythia, Magnolia x soulangiana/stellata, Philladelphus, Rhododendron sp., Ribes, Spirea x arguta/prunifolia/thunbergii, Syringa, Weigelia. Suckering: Kerria
Planting Shrubs
Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball, and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container. If soil is poor, dig hole even wider and fill with a mixture half original soil and half compost or soil amendment.
Carefully remove shrub from container and gently separate roots. Position in center of hole, best side facing forward. Fill in with original soil or an amended mixture if needed as described above. For larger shrubs, build a water well. Finish by mulching and watering well.
If the plant is balled-and-burlapped, remove fasteners and fold back just the top of burlap, tucking it down into hole, after you’ve positioned shrub. You do not want to fully remove the burlap as you may break up or damage rootball. Make sure that all burlap is buried so that it won’t wick water away from rootball during hot, dry periods. For larger shrubs, build a water well. Finish by mulching and watering well.
If shrub is bare-root, look for a discoloration somewhere near the base; this mark is likely where the soil line was. If soil is too sandy or too clayey, add organic matter in the form of compost, soil conditioner, peat, or pulverized bark compost, which will add both drainage and water holding capacity. Fill soil, firming just enough to support shrub. Finish by mulching and watering well.
Pruning Flowering Shrubs – Past/Present Growth
For deciduous shrubs that flower on either this or last year’s growth and need minimal pruning, do so in late winter or early spring while the plant is dormant. Remove only crossed or wayward shoots. Example: Magnolia soulangiana
Pruning Evergreen MidSum/LateFall Flowering Shrubs
For evergreen shrubs that flower between midsummer and late fall on either last year’s or this year’s wood, prune annually, only if necessary, taking out only wayward or crossed braches. More than likely, you will only need to trim tips. Example: Prunus laurocerasus
Tools:
Watering Aides
No gardener depends entirely on natural rainfall. Even the most water conscious garden appreciates the proper hose, watering can, or wand.
- Watering Cans: Whether you choose plastic or galvanized makes no difference, but do look for generous capacity and a design that is balanced when filled with water. A 2 gal. can (which holds 18 lbs. of water) is preferred by most gardeners and is best suited for outdoor use. An indoor can should be relatively smaller with a narrower spout and rose (filter head).
Watering Hose: Look for a hose that is double-walled, as it will resist kinking. Quick coupler links are nice to have on ends of hoses to make altering length fast. To extend the life of your hose, keep it wound around a reel and stored in a shady area. Prior to winter freezes, drain hose.
Sprayers: Are commonly thought of as devices for applying chemicals, but can really be a step saver for watering houseplants or small pots of annuals rather that dragging out a hose or making numerous trips with a watering can. The backpack sprayer is best suited for this. Take care not to use any kind of chemical in tanks used for watering!
Sprinklers: Attached to the ends of a garden hose, a sprinkler acts as an economical irrigation system. Standing spike sprinklersare intended for lawns, and deliver water in a circular patter. Rotating sprinklersdeliver a circle of water and are perfect for lawns, shrubs and flower beds. Pulse-jet sprinklerscover large areas of ground in a pulsating, circular pattern. Oscillating sprinklersare best for watering at ground level in a rectangular pattern.