Landscape Maintenance Basics

A landscapes viability or the lack there of is directly related to the degree of maintenance it receives. The following is a minimum maintenance guide to establish your landscape.

Fertilizing
Plants should be allowed to rely on the nutrients already in the soil when they are first planted. Annual flowers can be fertilized after the first two or three weeks. Perennials can be fed after the first month or two. And shrubs can be fertilized after their first season.

Fertilizing plants can improve plant vigor and increase flowering.  Fertilizer is available in many different forms and applications.  Water soluble fertilizers i.e. Miracle Grow®, which is an instant fertilizer, will fertilize for only a short period of time.  The other option would be to use a slow release fertilizer i.e. Osmocote®.  Slow release fertilizers will save you time because they are only applied once, slowly releasing nutrients over the course of the year opposed to an instant fertilizer which only lasts about 7-10 days.  Be sure to follow the package for application rates.

Fertilizer is sold in ratios of N-P-K (i.e. 10-10-10), or nitrogen, to phosphorous, to potassium.  Nitrogen is critical to healthy stem growth, lush foliage, and beautiful blooms.  Phosphorous is essential to rapid root growth.  It is also important to proper formation of stems, good color, and solidity of petals.  Potassium is important to root growth, formation of blossoms, and bloom color.

Mulching
Initial mulch application should be installed at 3 inches thick across landscape beds.  Some of the many benefits of mulch: provides insulation for the roots, aides in holding moisture, helps prevent weed germination, and adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.  Wood and other organic mulches will decompose over time and it is essential to replenish the mulch every 1-2 years. We advise applying a granular pre-emergent (i.e. Preen®) follow manufacture's instructions for application rates. When mulching around trees and shrubs be sure to keep a mulch-free zone of about 1 inch around the trunk to prevent rotting damage.

Deadheading
Deadheading is not essential but can provide many benefits to your landscape plants.  Deadheading is the practice of removing spent or finished flower heads. This should be done after the flower-head has gone past its prime and no longer is beautiful.  Depending on the variety of flower you may remove the entire stalk or just the individual head.  By removing the spent flowers the plant does not go into a reproductive cycle.  This does not allow seed production allowing the plant to put its energy into producing more flowers increasing blooming time.

Pruning/Dividing Proper Time
Trees:  Prune in late fall to late winter.
Shrubs:  Spring flowering shrubs (April and May Blooming) should be pruned right after flowering.  Other shrubs should be pruned in late winter or early spring before the buds open.
Evergreens:  Evergreens can be pruned in late June or early July to shape new growth.
Hardy Shrub Roses:  Prune for shape.  For occasional rejuvenation, cut canes back 6 to 12 inches in late October or early spring.
Perennials:  Generally, perennials should be divided in the season opposite their flowering time, e.g. spring flowering divided in the fall, fall flowering divided in the spring.  Summer blooming plants can be divided in either the fall or spring.

Winterizing
Give your trees and shrubs (particularly evergreens) one last deep soaking around Thanksgiving to help them over winter.

Trees:  Protect young trees from rodent damage by wrapping the tree trunk with tree wrap 18” past the expected snow line.
Evergreens: Two main causes of winter death/injury are caused by water loss and freeze thaw cycles. To help prevent these you can spray exposed evergreens (including boxwood) with a anti-desiccant (i.e. Wilt Proof®) and/or wrap with burlap before the onset of winter and remove it in the spring once the frost is out of the soil.
Perennials: Cut back after a hard frost, (grasses and sedum can me left to add winter interest, cut back in March before new growth begins).