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Year-round Landscape Maintenance Activities. Rick Durham Department of Horticulture University of Kentucky. Topics:. Fall Install woody plants Mulch Fertiliz e Divide/transplant perennials Cleanup Winter Cold protection. Spring Prune woody plants Divide/transplant perennials
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Year-round Landscape Maintenance Activities Rick Durham Department of Horticulture University of Kentucky
Topics: • Fall • Install woody plants • Mulch • Fertilize • Divide/transplant perennials • Cleanup • Winter • Cold protection • Spring • Prune woody plants • Divide/transplant perennials • Install annuals • Fertilize annuals/perennials • Summer • Water • Fertilize annuals • Pest issues
Why prune? • Thin dense growth • Encourage abundant flowering • Direct growth • Remove damaged or hazardous growth
When to prune? • The rule of June 1 • If plant flowers before June 1, prune after flowering • If plant flowers after June 1, prune late winter or early spring • Shade trees, generally prune in early spring
After flowering: Redbud, dogwood, magnolias, crabapples, pears, plums, deutzia, forsythia, hollies, honeysuckles, azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, viburnums, others Late winter, early spring: Butterfly bush, most clematis, hydrangeas, beautybush, glossy abelia, crape myrtle, roses Shade trees: Some bleed excessively when spring pruned, prune in full leaf (June). Birch, elm, pine, spruce, fir, maple When to prune?
Topping? Never!!!!
Proper cuts • Cut flush with the bark collar • Use three-point method for larger branches • Paint or sealant is generally not needed
Too close About right
Don’t leave stubs Undesired Desired
When to divide? • Flowers in late summer/fall – divide in spring (aster, hosta, sedum) • Flowers in spring/early summer – divide in fall (daylily, paeonia, most bulbs) • Overcrowding - reduced vigor - reduced flowering • Dividing/separating – restores vigor
Division and Separation • Division • Cutting apart a plant with multiple crowns or cutting through the rhizome • Dust cut surfaces with fungicide or allow to cure before replanting • Separation • Pulling apart plants with multiple growing points • Treat wounded surfaces or allow to cure before transplanting
Spring - Fertilizing Annuals and Perennials Perennials • 2-3 lbs./1000 sq.ft. 5-10-10, two spring applications • Avoid late summer and fall applications Bulbs: • Fertilizer at planting (3-4 lbs. 5-20-20 per 1000 sq. ft) • Additional nitrogen as foliage emerges in spring Annuals: • Fertilization, 1-2 lbs. complete fertilizer at planting • ½ to 1 pound every six weeks later
Summer Activities • Water – 1 inch per week • Fertilize annuals • Deadhead annuals • Pest management
Installation in compacted soils • Plant high • Excavate wide, shallow hole (1/2 depth of root ball) • Back fill with existing soil and mound to top of root ball • Apply 3 inches of mulch • Staking optional depending on plant material
Installation using a berm or bed • Good for wet sites or localized remediation of compacted sites • Fill soil is amended • Bed/berm need not be tall, 8-12 inches. • Mulch • Bed/berms near existing trees will impact roots (fill)
Long-term Maintenance • Mulch – types and amounts • Ideal to extend the mulch area as plant grows • Limit mulch to 2-3 inch depth, replenish as needed • No mulch near root flare • Hardwood mulches decompose quickly • “Barky” mulches decompose more slowly, coarse bark more slowly than fine bark. • Cedar mulch – occasional reports of plant toxicity
Long-term Maintenance • Water • Most established woody plants can tolerate mild to severe drought • Ideal for most plants is ~1 inch water per week • In times of drought, best to supplement: • Younger trees • Densely planted trees/shrubs • Trees/shrubs on shallow soils • Apply to broad area under and near tree canopy, active roots are generally in the top 1-2 feet of soil.
Long-term Maintenance Fertilization • Soil test • Timing • Type • Amount
Soil testing • Sample any time • Take 8-10 samples scattered around front and back yard • Adjust pH as needed • Apply all nutrients except nitrogen according to test recommendations • Apply nitrogen based on management expectations
Timing - Nitrogen • Woody + Turf (cool season grasses) • Mid Fall application after woody plants are dormant • Too early – may get renewed growth • Too late – frozen soil • Spring – damaging to turf • Newly planted trees – none first year • Trees alone – late winter/early spring • Split applications are desirable
Type of fertilizer • Formulation • Complete vs. incomplete • Nitrogen source • Urea – 46-0-0 • Ammonium nitrate – 33-0-0 • Complete fertilizers – 10-10-10, 20-20-20, 5-10-10, etc. • Compost/organics
Amount of nitrogen Apply 2-3X the diameter of the drip line Pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft • 0 – some continued growth of older plants, immature plants may be delayed • 2 – healthy growth of mature plants, may stimulate additional growth on younger plants • 4 – may push unnecessary growth on older plants, produces desirable rapid growth on younger plants • 6 – usually excessive
Planting Mulching Fertilization Clean-up Division Herbaceous Perennials – Fall & Winter Activities
Bulbs, bulbs, bulbs . . . . • Fall is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs • Plant at a depth ~ 2-3X the bulb diameter • Fertilization can wait until new growth emerges in spring (bone meal at planting is ok) • Dig and store tender bulbs
Tender bulbs – lift and store Gladiolus Canna Caladium
Cool season annuals • Certain plants will put on a good show in fall • Ornamental cabbage and kale • Others may become established in fall and put on a great show in spring • Pansies • Dianthus (Sweet Williams)