Landscaping Tips

Early Spring Pruning

Prune roses and cut back liriope and ornamental grasses before new growth begins in spring.  When you complete your spring clean up and mulching, make sure no light fixtures are covered with mulch.  This is a fire hazard as the heat of the lamp will cause the mulch to catch on fire.

Snow Mold

Snow mold is a fungus. It symptoms consist of roughly circular patches of dead matted grass (at least 3 to 12 inches). It develops in wet, cool weather when the snow cover lasts for several months as ours has this year. Snow mold begins to grow when the grass is covered with snow before the ground has frozen. Snow mold grows under the snow, but may continue after the snow melts. The fungus lives for years in the thatch and soil, but is mostly never detected due to the weather in our area not being conducive to its growth.

March Snow

Snowstorms in March produce wet, heavy snow and it should be removed from evergreens.  The best way to safely remove the snow is to tap the evergreens with a broom.

Damaged Plants

If you notice frost or a freeze has damaged a plant, leave it alone until warmer weather arrives and new growth appears. Pruning or transplanting a damaged plant during winter months can hurt or even kill it.

Prepare now for spring color!

Take a walk around your property and note the areas full of perennials that are slowing down and about ready to be cutback. Think back…. How do these areas look in the spring? Are they bare until May or June? Bulbs may be the answer! Spring flowering bulbs are readily available to be planted now. It’s a great idea to plant bulbs among hostas, ferns, daylilies or ground cover. As these plants grow in the spring they will hide the dying bulb foliage!