Radio Show Recap
iHeart Radio experienced a technical issue with their phone system that affected live call-in shows nationwide, including Angelo’s show this past Saturday. Therefore, the show ended early.
Mid-March is the best time to prune evergreens and other dormant trees & shrubs. 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 “when is the best time to divide my Hostas”, and “my hemlock has brown tips all over, but the inside is green, can it be saved”?
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.
- 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.
- Hybrid Tea Roses – Cut to 4-5, ½” thick canes that are nice and green. Remove the rest.
- Arborvitaes – 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.
- Fruit Trees – Establish 5-6 main branches. Remove suckers and thin branches. Be sure to clear out the middle to promote good air circulation.
- Shade Trees – This is the time to shape, and trim water sprouts and cross branching.
- Weeping Trees – (Cherries & Japanese Maples) Now is the time to remove thin middle growth, open up the center, and clean them up in general.
- 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.
- 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 Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew for Viburnum Leaf Beetle
- 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