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Landscape maintenance. Regular maintenance. Soil maintenance pH and nutrient testing & maintenance Amending Weed control Plant maintenance Irrigation Mulching Pest control (insects, disease, other organisms) Pruning. Landscape tools. Weed control. Chemical control
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Regular maintenance • Soil maintenance • pH and nutrient testing & maintenance • Amending • Weed control • Plant maintenance • Irrigation • Mulching • Pest control (insects, disease, other organisms) • Pruning
Weed control • Chemical control • Pre-emergent vs. post-emergence • Selective vs. nonselective
Weed control • Hand weeding • Landscape fabric • Mulch
Irrigation • Water supply to a plant • Limited by root system • Improve soil drainage, reduce soil compaction to improve root growth • Avg. soil absorbs 3/8” water per hour • Slow, less-frequent deep watering better than frequent shallow watering • Soaker hose • Drip irrigation • Basin watering (berm)
Irrigation • Hand watering • Sprinkler irrigation • Good for lawns, densely planted beds • Wastes water (evaporation, unplanted areas) • Can promote foliar diseases • Fixed heads/risers • Portable heads • Drip/trickle irrigation • Reduces water usage by >50% • Can apply fertilizers • Nozzles, pipes can clog
Irrigation • Mulching/ground covers reduces frequent watering needs • Standard 1/2” residential pipe can handle one irrigation head (install ¾”-1” piping if plan to irrigate) • Generally need 1” water per week • Lawns 1” per week • Woody plants 3-4” total every 4 weeks • Newly transplanted woody plants need to be watered weekly (1st year), every 2 weeks (2nd year)
Pest control • Choose plants with minimal pest problems • Insect pests are often vectors for disease • Chemical control • Contact poisons vs. systemic pesticides • Synthetic vs. organic
Biological pest control • Gardens Alive • Home Harvest
Pruning • Removal of excessive & undesirable growth
Why prune? • Sanitation • Broken branches & dead tissue • Diseased parts • Opening canopy • Increase air flow; reduce humidity • Increase penetration of sprays • Removal of undergrowth for appearance and fire prevention • Stimulate new, vigorous growth
Why prune? • Aesthetics • Shape • Formal hedges • Topiary
Why prune? • Enhance reproduction • Yield enhancement • Fruiting shoots vs. non-fruiting shoots • Increase flower size • Fruit distribution, size, sugar content uniformity • Access to fruit
Why prune? • Manipulate physiology • Pre-transplant root pruning • Shoot tip pruning to promote branching • Stimulate new growth on older plants Dwarfing • Bonsai
Pruning tools • Saws • Shears • Hand pruners • Loppers • Pole pruners • Bypass vs. anvil
Pruning tools • Sanitation • Branch size and pruner damage • Hand pruners (< 1/2 inch dia.) • Loppers (< 2 inch dia.) • Maintain sharp tools • Clean cuts heal faster
Pruning principles • Cutting is irreversible • Breaking apical dominance changes form of plant • Pruning invigorates regrowth • Pruning can direct growth • Timing of pruning is critical • Spring flowers develop on previous season’s growth • Summer and fall flowers develop on current season’s growth
Trees with central leaders • Standard form
Pruning branches • Cut at 900 angle • Cut in stages
Pruning shrubs • Heading back