Pruning

Shrubs

Winter is an excellent time to prune broadleaf evergreens, deciduous summer flowering shrubs, and many trees. Use selective pruning to remove individual branches, shaping the plant as you prune. Shearing is bad pruning for many plants, unless you desire a formal appearance. Make sure to keep shrubs widest at the base to avoid shading and loss of leaves at the bottom. Summer flowering woody ornamentals such as althea, butterfly bush, crepe myrtle, vitex and oleander can be pruned now.

Trees

Many deciduous trees should be pruned in late winter when they are dormant. Remove dead, dying, and unsightly parts of the tree; sprouts growing at or near the base of the tree trunk and crossed branches. When pruning small tree branches cut back to a live bud or branch. Large branches should be removed just outside the branch collar (swollen area at branch origin). When cutting tree branches over 1.5 inches use a three-part cut. First saw the bottom of the branch 6 to 12 inches out from the trunk and about one-third of the way through. Make the second cut from the top, about 3 inches further out. The major part of the branch will fall away. The stub left can be cut back to the branch collar. If you are not sure about how to prune your trees, employ properly trained tree trimmers. Pruning is not an especially difficult job, but it does require an understanding of the growth habits of the plants and the form needed to enhance rather than damage the tree.

Grapes

Prune grapes in January or February. If this job is left too late in the season, bleeding from cut ends will occur. The Cooperative Extension has a video on the proper pruning of grapes. It can be checked out free-of-charge for 3 days. The Cooperative Extension has wonderful FREE publications on pruning trees and shrubs, fruit trees, and small fruits. Come and get yours.

Pecan Trees

Pecan trees producing bumper crops every other year? They need fertilizer. Add nutrients now for a better crop of nuts later. A general recommendation is four pounds of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the drip line of each tree. To apply the fertilizer, broadcast it evenly about 1 foot from the trunk and end at the drip line all around the tree. If the tree is planted in a lawn, fertilizer should not be broadcast. Use a probe to make plugs around the tree. Remove the plug and place the fertilize in the hole, and then refill with soil. Lime is best applied in late fall or early winter. Maintain a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. The best time to plant is December to early March. To ensure good pollination, plant at lease three trees.

Bagworms
Take some time this winter to inspect any needle-leaved evergreens you have for bagworms. Bagworms are caterpillars that make a small bag out of leaves or needles of the plant material they feed on. This time of year bags that are hanging on plants have eggs in them waiting to hatch next April or May. Hand remove any bags you see now to prevent damage next year. Using insecticides this time of year does no good since the bag provides protection.

Take the opportunity to enjoy some time inside during the cold days of winter read gardening magazines and boods and put some plans together for adding new things to the garden during the year

Soil Test

Don't forget to take soil samples from around your yard. Soil kits and instructions are available at the soil lab at the Extension office. This is a great time to put down the lime recommended by the soil test, as it will normally take about 3 months for lime to bring up the pH of the soil. This is a free service. Wood ashes will raise soil pH. Use them only if the pH is under 7.0 based on a soil test. The safe rate of wood ash application to flower or vegetable beds is 15-20 lbs. per 1000 square feet (approximately a 5 gallon pail). Remember, a little wood ash is beneficial, but a lot is not.

Plants for Winter Interest

Consider planting trees and shrubs that have winter interest to brighten up the landscape during an otherwise green meatball and bare branches time of year. Some of the evergreen hollies have red berries in winter, but the winterberry, a holly that drops its leaves in the winter, reveals beautiful bright red berries and makes an excellent mass planting. Pyracanthas also make a good show in winter. One of my favorite plants for winter interest in crossvine. Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata, is a vine that will climb as long as it has something to climb on up to 30 feet. It loves full sun and develops orange-red tubular flowers in April or May. I think the most attractive feature is during the winter. Crossvine is semi-evergreen to evergreen or actually everpurple. During the winter the leaves change from green to striking reddish-purple. Crossvine is a tough native plant that is great for covering a trellis to spring flowers, shade, and winter interest. Other good winter plants are winter honeysuckle, witchhazel, and winter daphne. Don't forget other traditional plants like Japanese and Sasanqua camellias.

Camellias (Camellia japonica) should really start to show off this month, but after the show, there is a job to do. Be sure to rake up and dispose of any spent flowers that have fallen underneath the bush to help discourage camellia petal blight.

Changing Hydrangea Bloom Color

If you would like to have a different bloom color on your bigleaf hydrangea than you have, now is the time to follow these instructions. Soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 yields bluish-pink flowers. Pink hydrangea flowers are associated with soil pH of 6.5 and greater. If you want pink flowers add 1 cup of lime per plant, work into the soil, and water in to the drip line. If you want blue flowers the preferred pH is 4.5 to 5.5 and addition of 1 tsp. of Aluminum sulfate per gallon of water done three times should do the trick.

Your pansies may start developing buds early in the spring, but pinching them back will encourage branching and even more bud formation later.

This and That

Lawn
Avoid heavy traffic on dormant lawns. Dry grass is easily broken and the crown of the plant may be severely damaged or killed.

Irrigation
Do some reading on micro-irrigation this winter. Installing a micro-irrigation system will save you time and water and increase your garden yield.

Birds
Keep food in the bird feeder for overwintering feathered friendlies. Also, keep the bird bath free of ice. Speaking of ice, toss a few rubber balls into the water garden to prevent it from iceing over.

Lights
If you use fluorescent grow lights, dust them off monthly for maximum illumination output. Also, if the lights are over two years old, replace them with fresher, brighter tubes.

Christmas Plants

Keep the spirit of Christmas growing during the gray months of winter by watering such leftover Yuletide plants as amaryllis, Christmas cactus, Christmas cherry, and poinsettia when the upper inch of soil in the pot is dry and including a shot of diluted fertilizer solution once a month

Ginger

For an interesting ornamental plant and culinary addition, buy a plump, unshriveled ginger root at the grocery store and plant it in a light, sandy soil just under the surface in a 6-8 inch pot. Place it in a warm, sunny window and keep damp until shoots appear. Water more frequently and fertilize monthly with high-phosphorus00 fertilizer. Harvest your crop in about eight months saving a piece to replant Take the opportunity to enjoy some cold days of winter. Read gardening magazines and books and put some plans together for adding new things to the garden during the year.

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, cree, national origin, religion, ses, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or service does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination against similar products or service not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact an agent of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.