WELCOME TO MAY
Weren’t the Daffodils amazing this year?  Last year, a number of the early blooming Daffodils never made it to the show due to an untimely freeze.  This year, they were spectacular.  The early, middle and late season varieties all did well.  If you want to extend the show at your house, figure out which variety you have, and plan to order some from one of the other groups in July/August for the best deals.  Be sure to request that they hold off delivery until September.  One year, some arrived in August, and I lost a bunch due to mold from our heat and humidity.  I had them stored in my garage.

We had a crazy spring this year with shifts from warm to cold to warm to cold.  Many of our plants didn’t know what to do.  If you have any Hydrangea macrophylla, they were among the hardest hit.  I know that quite a few of you have ‘Endless Summer.’  Many needed to be cut back to the height of the new growth coming from the base.  The varieties that bloom on 1^st and 2^nd year wood should bloom this year, but it may be a little later than normal.  If your varieties only bloom on 2^nd year wood, don’t expect any blooms.  If you’re tired of this lackluster performance of the H. macrophylla, consider some of these other options….

HYDRANGEA SERRATA / MOUNTAIN HYDRANGEA – though they bloom on 2^nd year wood, these bloom a little later than the H. macrophylla, and seem to weather the late spring freeze/thaw a bit better

HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS / SMOOTH HYDRANGEA – bloom on 1^st year wood, and don’t seem bothered at all

HYDRANGEA PANICULATA / PEE GEE HYDRANGEA – bloom on 1^st year wood, and don’t seem bothered at all

HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA / OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA – bloom on 2^nd year wood, but for some reason, aren’t nearly as affected by the late spring fluctuations

Some of the other plants where I’ve noticed dieback….
ABELIA
CALLICARPA
HYPERICUM
There may be others, but these are the ones I’ve seen.  Just prune back to healthy foliage, and the plant should look fine in short order.

WORMS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS
There have been years when some of you have reported terrible damage that you have attributed to worms.  I even found some well-documented articles on the subject, so I do sympathize if you have been adversely affected by these little creatures.  I live in the woods, and as you can imagine, I have installed many garden areas throughout our property.  When I started, our soil was mostly clay of the bright orange variety.  Today, those same garden beds have well aerated soil, very dark brown to a depth of about 10 inches or more.  If you have worms, you learn to recognize the regurgitated tiny soil pellets they leave behind, rich in nutrients, helping to keep our soil cool and moist.  I top dress with a layer of shredded bark mulch once a year.  The mulch decomposes, which also adds to the health of the soil, and the worms help a lot with the decomposition process.  While many of you can’t wait to rid your planting beds of these creatures, so far, I’m happy to share my space.

KEEP TRACK OF TEMPERATURES
Enjoy the warm summer days that often surprise us in May, but also try to remember how difficult this is for our plants.  If the weather suddenly turns warm, the plants will be experiencing stress and will need more water.  A good rule of thumb is a 20 degree change in temperature is significant enough to cause stress.  During the growing season, try to give your plants water 3x/week, if at all possible.  Just do the best you can.  Remember a long, slow, steady soak is much better than a quick burst.

PEONIES AND ANTS
Have you seen ants swarming around your peonies?  This is actually a good sign. Not only are ants NOT harmful, they are actually an example of biological mutualism. The peonies provide nectar (food) for the ants; the ants protect the peonies from aphids, thrips, and other non-beneficial insect pests.  The ants are NOT eating the thin protective layer surrounding the flower bud.  This is just a popular myth.

TIME TO DIVIDE PERENNIALS
Now, is the perfect time to divide and spread out many of the perennials.  Frequently, it’s as easy as placing the shovel where you want to cut the plant, and dig straight down.  The mother plant stays put, and the baby plant will be given a new home.  Rule of Thumb…do not change the depth of the root mass, and soak immediately after planting to remove the unwanted air pockets.

DO…spread Holly-Tone within the drip edge of all your BROADLEAF EVERGREENS, and other acid-loving plants.  It’s not too late.

DO…spread Plant-Tone within the drip edge of all other plants, but I usually limit myself to a liberal broadcast among all of my PERENNIALS.  It’s not too late.

DO lay out protective rings of DIATOMACEOUS EARTH to protect large leaved perennials from slugs.  Hopefully, I’ll get around to these chores soon.

ANNUALS…Now you can buy your annuals.  Try something different this year.  Experiment.  You can always change it later.  Feeding your plants once a week can make a huge difference in the performance.  Miracle Gro, Peter’s Plant Food or Jack’s Classic Plant Food are options.  If you use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote, then you may only need to apply 1x/month or less.

SPRING FLOWERING PLANTS…Your Helleborus should be dead headed to minimize the number of volunteer seedlings.  Many of their seed pods are plump and ready to explode.  Spring flowering bulbs will benefit if you remove the spent flowers and allow the foliage to remain until it turns brown.

GARDEN TOURS…Do you enjoy visiting private gardens?  May and June is the best time to see most Maryland gardens.  Be on the lookout for tours taking place throughout the state.

POISON IVY…Poison Ivy is already leafing out.  At least now we have a fighting chance to avoid it.  Please take precautions when in the vicinity of this irritating plant.  Feel free to refer to the Poison Ivy Primer, now resident on my website.

What a joy to see our gardens coming back to life.  Due to our unusually mild winter, the daffodils and our other spring flowering bulbs have been outstanding this year.   The Daffodils, Chionodoxa, Snow Drops, Leucojum and Winter Aconite are just a few that are reliably deer resistant.  If you have any interest in adding any of these to your garden, now is the time to take notes.  Identify spaces, and plan to order your bulbs in July-Sept for delivery in the fall.  Be sure to tell the folks you want the bulbs delivered in Sept / Oct.  Also be aware that you can extend the bloom season for the daffodils by installing bulbs that are Early/Mid/Late Season blooming.

Many plants are blooming earlier than normal.  Foliage is emerging so fast that you feel as though you are watching leaves grow right before your eyes.  I’m still in the process of pruning my Hydrangeas, and I’m hoping I’ll get to all of them in time.  I’m counting on us not having a late season freeze in April.  So, we’ll see if I’m lucky enough to be correct.

TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION & WATER

When we have a 20 degree change in temperatures, it becomes stressful for your plants, especially those recently planted.  Please give your plants a little extra water on those days.  We normally have plenty of rain during March and April, but so far, I think we’re behind schedule.

REDBUD TREES ARE DYING

There are 2 diseases affecting the Eastern Redbud and Dogwood trees – Vascular Streak Dieback and Verticillium Wilt.  Both cause the same type of ‘streaking’ within affected branches, and both cause the demise of the tree.  Not only do these diseases spread throughout the infected tree, they also spread from tree to tree.  Whether by rain or water, they’re not sure.  Unfortunately, there is no chemical way to control these diseases, and they have caused considerable crop damage throughout the industry.  As a result, it may be difficult to source these trees over the next few years.

HYDRANGEAS…Folks are always asking when to cut back the Hydrangeas.  I have recently added this information to my website. You can find it here.  You will need to identify which ones you have, and from there, it will be easy to follow the instructions.

TRANSPLANTING

Now is the perfect time to try transplanting.   Know that the roots of the plant generally extend to the drip edge of the plant.  It would be great if you could manage a rootball to at least 50% of the drip edge of the plant, but not all of us are strong enough to handle that weight.  If roots stick out beyond the limits of the rootball, that’s fine.  Just be sure to dig the new hole large enough to accommodate the roots when spread out.  Attempt to plant at the same depth that the plant enjoyed before you decided to move it.  There are quite a few plants such as Iris that prefer to be very close to the surface.  As a rule of thumb, cut back about 1/3 of the size of the plant in order to reduce its stress.  Water thoroughly to eliminate any air pockets.

STARTING A NEW PLANT FROM CUTTINGS

We all know stories of folks who are able to take cuttings from a mature plant, stick them directly in the ground, and a new plant is off to a successful start.  If the dormant leaf buds are at the perfect stage of development, and the weather cooperates, this method will work.  To improve the probability for success, cut a branch with some healthy leaf buds visible, or just starting to break.  Make a 1 inch cut vertically through the base of the branch.  Plunge into water covering at least 2 leaf buds, and wait a week or two for the branch to start taking in water through the roots starting to grow out of the leaf bud locations.   Some people wait until the new roots are clearly visible, and then plant in the garden to the depth of the water line.

SPRING IS A BUSY TIME IN THE GARDEN

DO…spread Holly-Tone within the drip edge of all your BROADLEAF EVERGREENS, and other acid-loving plants.

DO…spread Plant-Tone within the drip edge of all other plants, but I usually limit myself to a liberal broadcast among all of my PERENNIALS.

DO YOU HAVE HOSTAS OR OTHER LARGE LEAF PLANTS?….If you have ever noticed holes in the leaves, this is usually caused by slugs.  Ortho makes a product called Slug Bait which you broadcast over the area, and is effective for several weeks before reapplication is necessary.  Another good option is to create a continuous ring around the base of the plant with DIATOMACEOUS EARTH.  This fine white or off-white powder is the ground fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae.  It causes the slugs to dehydrate and die.  I generally find that one application in the beginning of the season is all that is needed.  After 1 or 2 rains, the white ring is no longer visible.  Be sure to use gloves when handling this substance.

HELLEBORUS…DO  remove foliage from last season.

SPRING CLEANUP….A thorough spring cleanup now will greatly reduce the maintenance all summer long.  Freshen up the bed edge, rake, weed and apply 1-2 inches of  SHREDDED BARK MULCH.  Resist the urge to buy the dye-colored mulch.  You want the mulch to decompose over time, and the additional chemicals can’t be good for the plants or the environment.

SPRING FLOWERING BULBS….When the flowers start to fade, remove the flower stem close to the base (a form of DEAD HEADING).  This prevents the plant from spending a lot of energy on the development of seeds.  DO allow the foliage to remain for as long as you can stand it so that the plant will be able to manufacture food that will be sent down to feed the bulb for next year.  Some people have hundreds or thousands of daffodils and other bulbs which makes it impractical to dead head.  In this case, it’s best just to leave the entire plant alone until the foliage starts to turn yellow, and then cut it back to the ground.

POISON IVY…The foliage has yet to appear, but you can get the rash from the root system or vine stems.  It’s easy to identify the large, hairy vine climbing up a tree.  It’s much harder to identify the small fibrous root system lying dormant just beneath the surface.  A good rule of thumb is to assume that some of the roots encountered are Poison Ivy, and act accordingly.

A Poison Ivy Primer is now resident on my website as a sub-heading under Timely Tips.  Please consult this for more detailed information.

THE WELCOME SCENT OF SPRING

During the last week in February, I had an opportunity to stroll through a beautiful garden in Ruxton, one of my favorites.  Upon entering, I was met with the most wonderful fragrance.  I recognized the scent, but was hard pressed to find the source.  Finally, I looked down and noticed the Sarcococca hook. ‘Humilis’ / Sweetbox.  You won’t take notice of the flowers, they’re so tiny, but the fragrance is a welcome treat when everything else is still asleep.  Further down the path were some Edgeworthia chrysantha / Paperbush with its unusual white and yellow upsidedown flowers.  If the wind is blowing in your direction, you can enjoy their fragrance long before you see the plant.  The Edgeworthia has a very limited agricultural range – Zone 7-8, so we’re among the lucky ones.  (See the Featured Plant Archive)

Are the buds of your Hydrangea macrophylla nice and plump and starting to push out new growth?  If so, those buds are likely to be ruined if we get some freezing days.  In years past, I’ve recommended covering these Hydrangeas with a sheet to try to protect the buds. DON’T BOTHER.  We experimented with some covered and some uncovered, and there was no difference in the results.  The other Hydrangeas should make it through unscathed.  If you’ve had it with the H. macrophylla, try Hydrangea aborescens or Hydrangea paniculata.  These have yet to be bothered by the fickle conditions of February and March. You can also try Hydrangea serrata / Mountain Hydrangea.  This blooms a little later than H. macrophylla, and as the name suggests, can better handle the late freezes.

Don’t forget to harvest some of the FIDDLE HEADS from your patch of Ostrich Fern.  Saute and serve with your next meal.  They are a real treat.

WARNING…The warm weather, if we are lucky enough to see some of that, also encourages us to spend time in our gardens.  If you are sensitive to Poison Ivy, treat each outing as though the vines and roots you encounter are actually Poison Ivy in its dormant state.  Wear long sleeves, wash with Dawn, and immediately put garden clothing in the wash.  Use clean dirt to ‘wash’ gloves and boots.

PRUNING HYDRANGEAS

Remember, I have a special section on my website for Pruning Hydrangeas.  It’s a drop down menu under Timely Tips.

MARCH IS ALWAYS A BUSY TIME OF YEAR in the garden.  In addition to clearing out all of the debris from the winter, it is also time to cut back many plants.

CUT BACK TO 3”- 6” in height any ornamental grasses or perennials that became dormant over the winter.  Usually they have turned tan, brown or black.  Now is also a good time to prune the old foliage from the Helleborus hybridus, even before it turns black.  This will make the blooms even more prominent.  Last year, I tried cutting back a few of my Carex, and I was very disappointed by the effort.  The old leaves may collapse, but they also do a great job of holding in the moisture around the base of the plant.

SOME TREES AND SHRUBS WILL BENEFIT FROM SIGNIFICANT PRUNING at this time.  Annabelle Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, Crepe Myrtle, Caryopteris, Hypericum, and Butterfly Bush are among this group.  For the shrubs, cutting back to 12 – 18” in height is usually sufficient.   For the trees such as Hyd. paniculata and Crepe Myrtle, removing 12 – 24” can usually be tolerated.  Over time, you will determine how much pruning suits your style.  If you want to encourage your Smokebush to have a more full, shrub-like habit, cut this back to about 3 – 6” in height.  This will promote lots of new branches from the base, but may take 2 years before it reaches a 3’ height.

DO NOT PRUNE SPRING FLOWERING trees and shrubs until after they have bloomed.

WRAPPED EVERGREENS…If you have wrapped evergreens to protect them during the winter, do WAIT until the end of March to unwrap.  The really wet snows usually arrive in March, and cold winds will bring the Leaf Burn you are trying to prevent.

BOXWOOD, DWF. ALBERTA SPRUCE and ARBORVITAE rarely make it through any winter unscathed.  Spreading is the most common problem.  Do not waste your time trying to rejuvenate these.  The best you can do is to tie them up internally, or simply replace the plant.  Some branches have been bent for so long, and are so brittle that they will break when you attempt to tie them up.  If this happens to you, make a clean cut near the break.  If you can tolerate the plant’s new shape, then let it be.  If not, then remove the offensive specimen.

Boxwood will rejuvenate if the wood receives direct sunlight, but the process is slow.

One of the best times to TRANSPLANT SPRING FLOWERING BULBS is right after flowering.  With the flowers still visible, you will have a much easier time determining their new location.  The only downside is that the blooms this season may not last as long due to the trauma of being moved.  Bulbs that have migrated under shrubs should be among the first to be relocated.

IF YOU NEED HELP, it’s not too late to contact a landscape contractor to help with the spring cleanup.  A thorough cleanup, new spade cut bed edges and a fresh layer of mulch greatly improve the ease of garden maintenance throughout the growing months.  Be careful not to smother newly emerging bulbs and perennials.  If you have a lot of perennials in your garden, postpone mulching until after the foliage has emerged.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION about a particular shrub or perennial in your garden, please feel free to send me an e-mail.  I will respond promptly.  If you don’t remember the name of the plant, send me some photos.

BEAUTIFUL FALL FOLIAGE

Our beautiful Fall Foliage is just getting started in my neck of the woods.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a spectacular display.

Our cooling temperatures have been great for planting, but as of late, not much rain. Be sure to give your new plantings plenty of water.  Due to the cooler temperatures, at least it won’t evaporate right away.  You may only need to water 2x/wk instead of 3x/wk.  Check the soil.  If it’s cool and damp, hold off watering.  If we have half a day of steady, gentle rain, then you can skip a day of watering.

SPRING FLOWERING BULBS…It’s not too late to plant your spring flowering bulbs.  As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you’re good to go.  DO NOT plant with Bone Meal as many bulb companies still suggest.  Unfortunately, this draws the unwanted attention of animals quick to unearth and munch on your brand new collection.  Some people do plant with a few moth balls claiming that this helps repel the unwanted visitors.  If you have had success with moth balls or moth flakes, please share your observations so they can be included next time.

PUTTING YOUR GARDEN TO BED FOR THE WINTER

A few easy chores now will reduce your workload in the spring, and enhance your garden for the winter months ahead.

TREES and SHRUBS…Take a mental note of plants with long extending branches that could break under the weight of a wet snow.  Some can be pruned a bit now, which should help.  Do keep an eye on them.  If we get a wet snow, you may need to brush the snow off at your earliest opportunity.

Narrow, columnar type plants such as Buxus semp. ‘Dee Runk’ and Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ will benefit from being tied spiral fashion with twine.  This will help guard against spreading.

Those of you with Hydrangea macrophylla / Bigleaf Hydrangea may have found that very few flowered if at all.  At this time, remove dead flowers, and prune enough so that the plant won’t be damaged by wet snow.  The big pruning will come in the spring.  In our area, these plants can die back to the ground when we have an early spring freeze.  When this happens, all of the lush growth is brand new (first year wood).  Many of the Hydrangea mac. bloom on second year wood.  Hopefully, the next year you will enjoy lush flowers once again.

Newly planted Prunus laurocerasus / Cherry Laurel is very susceptible to leaf burn in Jan/Feb/Mar.  Wrapping the sides in burlap usually does the trick.  After the first winter, this is no longer necessary.  Even this past year when mature specimens suffered greatly from leaf burn, new leaves pushed through forcing the damaged leaves to drop.  Looking at the plants now, you’d never know they had problems in the spring.

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES…As a rule, I like to keep all my ornamental grasses throughout the winter.  I love them in their dormant state as they sway with the wind.  If they have flopped and are lying prostrate on the ground, then I may go ahead and chop them off.  Otherwise, they stay.

PERENNIALS…Look for perennials that have gone dormant, and cut these back to about 3” in ht.  Look for perennials with nice basal foliage, but the upper portions of the plant are unsightly.  Cut these back to the height of the basal foliage.  Some perennials you may want to leave in their dormant state so that the birds can enjoy their seeds, or you simply like the way they look against the snow.  Rudbeckia sp. / Black-eyed Susan is a prime example.  The black seed head is quite attractive in contrast to the white of snow.  Some perennials should definitely be left alone until spring due to growth that seems to take place during the winter – Buddleia sp. / Butterfly Bush and Perovskia / Russian Sage are in this category.  There are a few that will benefit from the insulation that their dormant foliage will provide. Ferns, Heuchera and Geranium are among the perennials in this category, so leave their foliage alone.

TROPICAL BULBS…Do you have Canna Lily or Elephant Ears in your garden?  You can rescue them now for planting next year, and they should double in quantity as well.  Some clients and the kind folks at The Perennial Farm have contributed to this section.

CANNA LILY…Cut foliage to about 3” above soil.  Cut foliage can go to the compost heap.  Dig up the rhizomes, and once the dirt has dried, brush them off.  The goal is to keep them cold, but not frozen, and avoid rot from too much moisture.  First choice is a wood box or paper bag. Second choice is a plastic tub, but use newspaper instead of the plastic lid.  Layer with leaves, peat, sawdust, or even shreadded paper.  Spread out bulbs so there is at least a little space between each bulb.  Top with the layering material.  Store in a cool, dark place.  A garage usually works well.

COLOCASIA ESCULATA / ELEPHANT EARS…Follow the same procedure as above.  One client never bothers with the layering, and they still survive and multiply well.

WHEN TO STOP WATERING

If you installed any new plants in the fall, do try to water at least 2x/wk for as long as you can.  If you can continue through mid-December, that would be great.  Unfortunately, most of us need to shut down our hose bibs for the winter so that the pipes don’t freeze and burst.  Whenever the hose bibs are closed, that will be when your watering stops.  Taking care of your pipes is more important than your plants.  I usually shut mine down around Thanksgiving.