Well we have put another cold month behind us. Even though winter is still haunting us spring is truly on the way. March is the month to begin our annual evergreen pruning and fertilization program. I typically start this around mid month. Of course, weather can also have an effect on the starting date as well. As the day length becomes longer plants start to awaken from their winter slumber. As you might expect they are hungry and are in need of a serious haircut.
Remember, not to be overly zealous with the food. Believe it or not too much of a good thing can be harmful. I prefer to use a slow release fertilizer with micronutrients. In this way I don’t run the risk of burning my plants with an immediate release of ammonium nitrate. Slow release fertilizer also supplies the food needed over a longer period of time. It doesn’t matter what brand you use, just make sure that you are buying a well-balanced fertilizer with slow release capabilities. This should be displayed prominently on the bag.
Now let’s discuss pruning. While we are feeding we can prune and take care of two important things at one time. The method of pruning I’m speaking of is no light haircut. When we prune lightly we promote growth to appear only toward the ends of the plant. This approach over time limits the amount of sunlight needed (photo synthesis) to continue growth for the complete and full foliage needed for optimum growth. With this in mind be sure to give your plants the full haircut needed. I promise you that you will benefit tremendously from this program. Your plants will love you for it!
In April we will tackle the lawn.
Weekend Gardener/ Mike Wilson