JOHNSTON COUNTY HOME HORTICULTURE
Spring is springing! Get out there and smell the flowers,
discover
cloud shapes, dig in the dirt and enjoy Mother Nature's revival.
I can make out an elephant in these clouds.
Do you
see him?
LAWN MAINTENANCE
(or this month it's 'What do I do about weeds?!'
- REMEMBER, the best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn.
Go
to: http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/
and click on the 'turf tips' for the month you want in the left-hand
column. Find out how to care for your lawn
throughout the year to keep it happy, healthy and weed free.
- Herbicides are a band-aid fix and a temporary solution to a
permanent problem - weeds! New weed seeds will always be
traveling
into your
yard. The best, long term solution to controlling
weeds is to keep your lawn healthy!
- For the weeds you already have, control them now, before they get
large and/or set seed. A
little
work now will save you a lot of trouble later.
- Hand-pulling can be extremely effective in weed control.
- For yards that have an established weed problem, use
pre-emergent herbicides to kill weed seedlings as they
germinate. Pre-emergent
herbicides can be used to control crabgrass and other broadleaf
weeds.
- Pre-emergent herbicides (according to label directions) should be
applied while the forsythia
is in
bloom, usually late February - mid-March.
- Has your mower's blade
been sharpened?
A sharp
blade
cuts, a
dull
blade tears - making grass susceptible to diseases.
TREES, SHRUBS & ORNAMENTALS
- Divide fall-blooming perennials that are overgrown, such
as asters, primrose,
irises, violets,
shasta daisies and mums. This is an easy way to
enlarge
your garden. http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1150.htm
- Control leaf gall on
azaleas and
camellias. Leaf gall
, a
fungal
disease,
shows up as swollen leaves covered with a white powdery material. It is
unsightly but generally not harmful to the plant. Pick off the affected
leaves and dispose of them to avoid
spreading
the fungus. http://www.clemson.edu/hort/homehort/odcamlfg.htm
- Do not compost diseased plant material.
- Remove protective winter mulch from tender perennials in
early March to warm the roots and stimulate the plant's growth.
Replace with another layer of mulch in April, once the perennials have
emerged, to take advantage of the water conserving and weed controlling
properties of mulch. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-608.html
- Spring flowering shrubs such as quince, spirea, forsythia,
azalea, Camellia
japonica, Carolina jessamine
,
viburnum, mock orange, weigelia, Oriental
magnolia and Indian Hawthorn flower on old growth, so prune them
soon
AFTER
they bloom.
- Time for heavy and rejuvenation pruning of summer-blooming
shrubs.
Prune holly, nandina and beautyberry before new growth begins.
- Althea, Buddleia, Vitex, Crape Myrtle and Pomegranate can be
pruned at
the beginning of March to stimulate more flower production later.
- Prune roses
before bud break. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-641.html
- Let the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs die back naturally
for
the plants
to efficiently store nutrients for the next growing season.
- Are you fighting to keep grass
growing under
your trees? Or is there bare ground that erodes in heavy rains?
Trees
usually
win in any competition for moisture and nutrients, and turfgrass is not
well adapted to life in the shade. Mulch or a living groundcover are
better
alternatives.
- Ground covers act as a "living mulch." Low-maintenance,
shade-tolerant
ground covers include pachysandra, periwinkle (vinca), ajuga
(bugleweed),
liriope or mondo grass.
- A layer of composted mulch conserves moisture, reduces erosion
and provides nutrients to the tree. Keep mulch away from the trunk
of the tree to discourage rodents and rot. A layer 2-3" thick is ideal;
heavier mulching can prevent moisture from reaching the tree's roots.
- Protect shade tree roots from injury. Remember that most
of a
tree's feeder
roots are near the soil surface, under and just outside the tree
canopy.
If roots are injured by digging, foot traffic, or vehicles, damage to
the
tree can range from slowed growth (minor) to the death of the tree
(major!).
Some trees, such as dogwoods, are very susceptible to root damage;
others,
like maples, are more tolerant.
EDIBLES
- Plant cool-weather vegetable crops such as lettuce,
mustard
greens, sugar
snap peas, radishes
, onions, potatoes,
spinach, and cole crops (such as
cabbage and collards) as soon as soil can be worked. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8016.html
- If a ball of soil crumbles when squeezed in your fist,
the soil
is workable.
- Take a soil test (we have free kits here - just call and
we'll send you one!) to see how much fertilizer to put on your
pecans. It's time!
- Beets, broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage can be
started
by the
third or fourth week of March.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
- Put up martin
and bluebird houses
by mid-March.
Learn how
to build a nest box at http://nabluebirdsociety.org/plans.htm
- Clean out last year's birdhouse nesting materials to make
them more
attractive
to house-hunting birds.
LANDSCAPE IDEAS
- Take photographs of your yard while your spring bulbs are
blooming, so
you can remember where to plant more bulbs in the fall.
HOUSEPLANTS
Thanks to the Durham County Extension Office and
'Successful
Gardener'
for their generous contributions to this list.
HELPING PEOPLE PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK.
Got Questions? We've got answers!
Contact us.
