| Prune |
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Frost |
Keeping
a garden journal and your eye on the weather will help you
anticipate when to prune or move tender plants from under the eaves
or back outside. Frost-burned
parts of twigs, plants and leaves can actually protect the plant so
resist the temptation to prune them until you begin to see some
growth. Only then trim off the damaged area.
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Roses |
Remove
the secondary buds on Hybrid Tea and Grandiflora roses after they
appear, as they weaken the primary buds, if you prefer one large
flower per stem or plan to show them. Don’t disbud Floribundas or
Polyanthas they are meant to grow in bunches.
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Bulbs |
When
the leaves go brown and die back, cut off the flower pods and use a
well balanced fertilizer to ensure good performance next year.
Continue to water. You can tie them in knots if their floppy
appearance bothers you. (See Purchase and Plant section for more
information on bulbs).
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Epidendrum |
Cut
back the stem to the second leaf joint from the ground after the
flower clusters fade to encourage better flowering for next
year.
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Camellias
&
Azaleas |
Use
good judgment when pruning now, but improve shape by cutting out old
woody and crossover branches. You’ll have some beautiful cut
flowers for inside the house. Don’t over water azaleas, but don’t
let them dry out completely. Prune just beyond the bump created from
last year’s growth (you’ll notice a difference in color).
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Asparagus
Fern
& Ginger |
Ginger blooms
just once on a stalk then dies so, continue cutting them back
throughout the year. Keep them
deadheaded throughout the year. Revitalize asparagus fern by cutting
them to the ground then fertilize, they'll come back quickly. If you are in
an area where frost is still a possibility, wait until it warms up.
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Fuchsias |
When
you see some growth, begin pruning standard and shrub
fuchsias. Old bark is dark and has a rougher texture than the smooth
bark of last year. Cut off twigs and 1-2 inches of older wood. If
you haven’t pruned your fuchsias regularly, cut back one third
now, then wait 4-6 weeks. When they leaf out, cut back another third
and wait for re-growth before finishing. To make them
bushy, pinch them back. When a sprout has made three pairs of
leaves, cut off the top pair. Stop pinching and let them bloom when
really full.
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Hibiscus |
It
is very important for flowering to prune hibiscus regularly. To
encourage bushiness in shrubs, prune three or four branches back to
two or three growth buds from the center. Be sure to take branches
from opposite sides of the so it doesn't loose the shape. Continue to
do this about every six weeks through the summer. If you want a
hedge, keep the tips cut back one third of the shrub to about one or
two feet all over the sides and top. Continue cutting back one third
each month through out the summer. Follow up pruning with fertilizer
and water.
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Kiwi
Vines |
Kiwis
fruit mostly on growth from last year, which is smoother wood. To
develop a primary trunk and assist growth on an espalier, overhead
wire or pergola for young kiwis, prune lightly. To produce fresh
fruiting growth, prune mature kiwis hard. First, remove all dead,
diseased and tangled growth. 2) Encourage growth and reduce crowding
by removing a few 2- or 3-year-old branches each year. 3) Keep only
about 30 canes that grew last year. Shorten canes by leaving only
four or five buds. 4) Shorten the fruiting spurs, to two buds each.
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Winter
Vegetables |
Keep
up with harvesting and ready your beds for planting this month.
There are plenty of summer veggies ready for planting now.
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