Radio Show Recap
Warm weather this winter has put the gardening season a couple weeks ahead of its usual schedule. This week, Angelo gives advice for pruning all different types of trees and shrubs, and he shares the best way to spray and care for fruit trees in March. He also talks about what the mild NEO winter means for lawn care and the best way to start prepping for spring. PLUS, he answers caller questions like “Can I trim my White Pine now”, and “When is the best time to start using Milky Spore in my lawn”?
Angelo’s Pruning Tips:
- Spirea – cut back into a little ball (8-10”), remove old wood inside the plant (sticks & peeling bark), Note: don’t touch the Bridal Veil variety until after blooming.
- Burning Bush – This is the only time of year to cut them back hard.
- Boxwoods, Yews, Junipers, and Hollies – It’s okay to cut these back hard this time of year. Also prune to shape before spring growth starts.
- Arborvitaes & Junipers – Take 2-3“ off all sides. Top them if needed but note, the pointed top will not come back. Try to get this trimming done by mid-April.
- Panicle Hydrangeas – Don’t be afraid to cut these shrubs down hard to 6-8″, allowing for fresh, new wood and maintaining a nice shape. For the tree form, cut to the size of a 10-12″ basketball.
- Macrophylla Hydrangeas – Prune down to the uppermost growth. Clean out dead wood & thin out interior stems with a sliver coating
- Smooth Hydrangeas – Cut down to 6-8″. When 90% bloomed out, cut back and they will rebloom.
- Grapes – Trim now.
- Raspberries – Cut summer varieties down to 12″ tall. Cut everbearing varieties down to the ground.
- Rose of Sharon – Cut these plants right down to about 3-4″ above the ground. They’ll stay fresh and come right back to bloom in summer.
SHOP Products
- SHOP Bonide Orchard Spray or Fruit Tree and Plant Guard for fruit trees
- SHOP Holly-tone & Iron-tone to fertilize Evergreens
- SHOP Plant-tone & Iron-tone to fertilize Boxwoods & deciduous trees and shrubs
- SHOP Bulb-tone to fertilize emerging spring bulbs