Is there still time to do winter chores this March?

With the snow soon to begin melting with warmer temps, fortunately you haven’t missed out on too many garden activities, you just going to have to be ready to do some of the chores in a quick fashion because it’s going to change quickly when it does.

Prevention Spraying with Dormant Oil and Copper Fungicide as long as the buds are hard and it’s a day above 40 you can still spray with the dormant rates on the label. If you miss it follow labels instructions on what to do for the different stages of growth for the plants you are spraying for.

Applying Crabgrass Control. You actually have a lot of time for this as in before May. In fact it would be easier to apply and activate when the irrigation water comes on in April vs applying it when the Forsythia bloom and timing it with rain to activate it.

Dormant Pruning for Roses
This can be done as long as the leaf buds have not begun to pop. The basics for pruning roses are to cut them back to 2 feet then remove diseased, damaged, dead and crossing canes. For climbing roses, go ahead and leave tall just remove the diseased, damaged, dead and crossing canes.

Dormant Pruning Fruit and Berries
This can also be done while the buds are hard. To check this you want to feel the bud with your finger. If it’s hard and doesn’t give or squish under light pressure you are good.

Fertilizing your lawn, trees, shrubs and perennials.
Feeding your plants is a good thing but wait until April like normal because the plant will be awake enough to feed upon the fertilizer as well it is easier to water in with your watering systems.

Cutting back ornamental grasses
Cut them down as soon as the snow melts because once it warms up enough they will begin to grow again for the season and you will only be able to cut them back to as far as they have emerged to.

Cutting back perennials
Either pull off the dead material with your hand or cut it down. Unlike grasses it easier to see the new foliage emerge that you work around it and completely remove all the dead stuff.

Spraying weeds
Round up, Burn Out and other similar herbicides actually work best when temps are in the sixties, so there is plenty of time for this. No need to jump the gun. If the winter weeds are bothering you too much, you can always pull or hoe them out after the snow has cleared.

Applying Pre-emergents
This can be down actually any time of year but it is easier to do when the water is on to water the product in. Just remember to weed or spray the area really good beforehand.

Planting trees, berries and fruit trees
Your time will be short for bare root stuff but potted and B&B trees you have plenty of time.

Planting shrubs and perennials
Most of these plants are potted and can be planted year round. So once the ground is workable again until it’s over 90 you can plant these.

Planting annuals
Annual flowers like petunias and marigolds its best to plant those more toward May when the ground warms up. Primroses and pansies would be good to plant when the snow clears.

When to prune grasses back and how to do it?

A common question we get is when to prune your grasses for winter. In reality it can be as soon as that plant dies back to the ground. I personally use the grass’ foliage as a winter interest, so I will wait until the winter winds beat then up into a mess. Then I tie a string around the top and cut back to within an inch or two of the ground. For evergreen grasses, I just clean out the dead foliage. With Pampass grass, I wait until spring, using it’s foliage as a mulch to help it survive winter since it’s more tender than other grasses like Switch grass, Japanese Silver grass or Fountain grasses in our area. Below is a video I did to demonstrate how to cut back the different types of grasses.

What can be planted in fall?

Fall is upon us and it’s time for planting. Here is what you can plant now and into winter as well as a few tips to make sure things go well.

You can plant plants rated zone 6 or lower for they can withstand our winters. You can plant trees, shrubs, perennials, roses and evergreens.

Even though the irrigation systems are going offline. Plants aren’t using much water. Until deciduous plants drop their foliage check on them for moisture weekly. After they drop their foliage check monthly to see if they need a drink. Evergreens need water on a monthly basis. Water on days where the highs are above 35 degrees.

For roses you want to mulch their crowns as a precaution against sudden cold snaps.

You can plant in fall and into winter you want to avoid cold snaps where on daytime temps don’t rise above freezing. It’s hard on you and the plants when the ground is frozen.

7 Ways to Make Next Spring Easier

Fall is a great time to start spring off right, be doing a few preventatives.

1. Prevent aphid problems with the Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control.  By applying in August/September this gives the insecticide time to move up the tree and prevent attacks in Spring.

2. Prevent weeds in from growing in winter and early spring by applying a pre-emergent herbicides.  Pre-emergent herbicides prevent weed seeds from germinating.  Applying now, after clean weeding a flower bed will help prevent winter weeds from germinating and popping up in early spring. Products to look into are Greenlight Amaze, Preen, Round Up Extended Control. Make sure to follow their watering instructions on these product's labels for best results.

3. Prevent drought stress by applying Bonide Wilt Stop to your soft needle and broad leaf evergreens. It works like like lip balm for our lips to keep their leaves from drying out. Also mark when to water your evergreens in your calendar, it would be best to set it to once a month November through March.  Use a sprinkler on a hose to water since the irrigation is turned off at that time of year. Yews, photinia, boxwoods, arborvitae, rhodies and others benefit from a monthly drink.

4. Help gain an upper hand with root weevil,  by applying Bonide Eight Granules to kill the overwintering larva in the soil, thus reducing their population to help to keep them in check next year.

5. Green up your yellow trees and shrubs that normally should be green by applying the G&B Acid Planting Mix and G&B Harvest Supreme as a mulch or top dressing. By putting about 2 inches thick to slowly leach nutrients into the soil over winter and spring to catch these plants up on nutrients.

6. Clean up disease issues by spraying areas of the yard that had disease issues like rust, powdery mildew, leaf spot, peach leaf curl in November or February with a dormant application of Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide. This sanitizes the plants to give a fresh start next spring.  For best results make sure to clean up the diseased leaves as well as when you spray, spray the entire plant including the trunk.

7. Get your lawn off to a great start in spring by applying a fall feeding of a Fertilome Winterizer or Fertilome Greenmaker in September/October.  These fertilizers will slowly feed throughout winter to build up the lawns nutrient reserves for a lush push of green growth in spring.

First Year Watering Guide

Watering for the First Year

In the first growing season, all new plants (including drought resistant ones) need extra water to allow them root into the surrounding soil. Make sure to deep soak the plants enough with a sprinkler on a hose; so that your soil is moist to 12 inches below the surface of the dirt a day after you have watered. You want your moisture to soak in this deep so that your plant’s roots develop deep and can handle not being watered for a few days in case there are problems with your irrigation system. If in doubt, you need to dig down 12 inches with a shovel, trowel or use a soil probe to make sure you are soaking in deep enough.

A general deep soaking schedule for sand loam soil (the main soil texture for Tri-Cities) it is listed by day time high temperatures
 

50 ̊F or less once a month for evergreens, check every two months for deciduous plants 50 to 70 ̊F deep soak once every two weeks after foliage emerges or drops on deciduous

70 to 85 ̊F deep soak once a week for one hour
85 to 95 ̊F deep soak twice a week for two hours
Above 95 ̊F soak three times a week for two hours
After all wind storms when temperature highs are above 85 ̊F go check the soil moisture.
**For Clay or compacted soil you will need to shorten you water run time and increase the amount of time your water to get the same effect**

It’s time to feed your plants!

Early April is when the irrigation water come back online is a great time to feed you trees, shrubs, and perennials.

For your plants you can use granulated fertilizers or fertilizer spikes.  Which ever is easiest for you to apply.  I find it faster and easier to use granulated; this is mainly because I have a lot of shrubs and my soil is very rocky.   I just measure the size of plant and give it the appropriate amount listed on the label and then onto the next plant. Once I am done fertilizing I run my irrigation system to activate the fertilizer. 

Three of my favorite plant foods for trees, shrubs and perennials are the Fertilome Azalea, Camelia and Rhododendron Food, the Fertilome Start n Grow and the G&B Paradise (organic).  The Fertilome Azalea, Camelia and Rhododendron Food is great for plants that like acidic conditions like Rhodies, Dogwoods and Maples; you apply this one three times a year April, Memorial Day and Mid August.  The Start-N-Grow is a good universal plant food full of trace elements that you only have to apply twice a year April and July. Paradise is a granulated organic fertilizer that is full of enzymes and trace elements to feed plants, apply in April, June and August. Any of them will yeild happy well fed plants!

Here is an idea to control Bermudagrass

Bermudagrass is problem for a lot of Tri-City lawns.  It is the grass with deep roots and runs it's tendrils throughout the yard spreading where ever it feels like it.   Bayer has come out with Bermudagrass Control for lawns, it is a growth regulator that supresses the growth of the Bermudagrass and lets your preferred lawn to choke it out.  Timing is critical on applying it, you want to hit the Bermudagrass when it begins to emerge in early April, then repeat applications on a monthly basis until it is no longer trying to grow.  Easy to apply with the Read to Spray Bottle (RTS), just hook to a hose and begin spraying only the affected areas of the lawn.  Be sure to let the product dry completely after application, before letting kids or pets back on the lawn.   We stock it regularly here at Job's.

My Hibiscus aren’t awake yet! Are they OK?

The dayliies are up, the black eyed Susans are waking up, even the salvias are peeking out of the ground, however the Hibiscus are still the cut back stalks that you left them back in February.  Did they survive the winter?

The answer is yes, they most likely did survive the winter. They just are waiting for the ground to warm up a little more before they show sings of life.  Wait until Mid May to see what peeks up. 

Seeds vs Transplant for Vegetable Gardening

Vegetable gardens can be started by seeds or transplants.  A lot of vegetables are available both ways, sometimes its advantageous to go one way or the other.  

Seeds- Are inexpensive, however if you planning on starting the seeds indoors you are going to need pots, potting soil, fertilizers, space and the time to care for them.  Some vegetables are easy to plant in the ground when the time is right, these include lettuce, radishes, carrots, spinach, mustard, melons, beans, peas, corn, cucumber, squash,  and pumpkin.  While tomato, eggplant, celery, peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower require indoor starting to get them to produce on time, this can be 3 to 5 weeks before planting time.  Also how much do want of each crop, if your just feeding the household you may want to limit your number of starts, so your not overwhelmed with one crop or another.

Transplants- These are plants that have already been started and ready to plant when the time is right (weather and ground conditions).  Instead of buying seed packs of every variety you want to grow or try, you can buy only what your garden has room for or what you want to contend with.  This allows you to have several varieties of a crop to mix it up a little or experiment with new varieties, while still having some old favorites.  

Here is a list of Plants and which way is best, easier or convenient to have from seeds (S) or transplants (T).  It really all based on how much work you want to do.

Beans (S or T)
Beets (S)
Broccoli (T)
Cabbage (S or T)
Carrots (S)
Cauliflower (T)
Celery (T)
Corn (S or T)
Cucumber (S or T)
Eggplant (T)
Lettuce (S or T)
Melons (S or T)
Onions (S or T)
Peas (S)
Peppers (T)
Pumpkins (S or T)
Radishes (S)
Spinach (S or T)
Squash (S or T)
Tomato (T)

By Alex Job

Rose classes broken down

By Alex Job
Job's Nursery LLC

Roses are broken down into classes or types of roses to help define the characteristics common to a group of roses. 

Hybrid Teas are your cut roses to take inside the house, for they bloom on flower per stem.  They usually grow to a height of 4 to 6 feet.  To encourage frequent blooming, you will need to prune out the spent flowers them at least monthly to promote blooms.

Grandifloras are a more vigorous hybrid of rose tends to be 5-6 feet tall with one to five roses per stem, with a Hybrid Tea blossom. May not be the best for cut roses but it makes up by having lots of blooms to show off. 

Floribundas reach a height of 3-4 feet and provide lots of color.  Generally blooms in bracts or bouquets of 3-7 blooms per stem. Petal can range from 10-50 depending of the variety.  These color throwers are easy to care for and don't require much pruning to keep blooming.

Miniatures range in height of 2 to 3 feet. Miniatures get their name from having a bloom size of about 1 to 2 inches wide versus the actual plant size. They typically bloom in 1-5 rose clusters per stem.  Great for borders, foundations and smaller flower beds. Most modern miniatures are self cleaning, where they do not need to have spent flowers removed to keep blooming; to remove spent flowers on miniatures you simply cut to the stem to the first leaf set.

Ground Cover range in height of about 18 inches to 3 feet.  Ground Cover Roses have a mounded spreading habit that is great for borders or areas where you need low, ever blooming, summer color.  Their flower size is the same as a Miniature and they are self cleaning, which is great considering how much they bloom.  Generally we don’t worry about pruning this class in the growing season, unless they are growing into areas where they shouldn’t be.  

Climbing Roses are roses that tend to have an upright, arching habit that can either be trained to a trellis or arbor.  Otherwise if left untrained they form a large 10 to 12 foot high cascading rose bush. They great for screening or a trellis of color. Climbers only need an occasional trim to be blooming.

David Austin and Romantica Roses are cabbage head roses.  David Austins are English,  while Romanticas are French. The plants height can range from 3 to 6 feet tall with an arching habit.  Generally they will bloom 1 to 5 flowers per stem with a petal count of over 90.   A majority of these are varieties are very fragrant. These roses can be trained as a bush or as a climber. David Austin or Romanticas are great for foundations, hedges and focal points. They require as much pruning as a Climber or Floribunda.

Shrub or Landscape Roses basically includes everything else rose. The size can range from 2 feet to 12 feet, with flower shapes varying from a tea rose to a cabbage head. With this class, the uses are endless due to the variety of characteristics, so select a variety based on your needs.

Tree Roses are bush roses grafted up on a standard (stem or trunk) to create a tree look. Unfortunately they are tender zone 7 in the Tri-Cities and need to protected in the winter.  This is done by keeping them in pots and placing them in a protected shed, garage, or greenhouse. If planted in the ground you want to wrap the top in burlap or an old blanket.

Written by
Alex Job

Establishing Your New Tree from Job’s Nursery

Establishing Your New Tree from Job’s Nursery

Watering for the First Year

In the first growing season, all new plants (including drought resistant ones) need extra water to allow them root into the surrounding soil. Make sure to deep soak the plants enough with a sprinkler on a hose; so that your soil is moist to 12 inches below the surface of the dirt a day after you have watered. You want your moisture to soak in this deep so that your plant’s roots develop deep and can handle not being watered for a few days in case there are problems with your irrigation system. If in doubt, you need to dig down 12 inches with a shovel, trowel or use a soil probe to make sure you are soaking in deep enough.

A general deep soaking schedule for sand loam soil (the main soil texture for Tri-Cities) it is listed by day time high temperatures
50 ̊F or less once a month for evergreens, check every two months for deciduous plants 50 to 70 ̊F deep soak once every two weeks after foliage emerges or drops on deciduous

70 to 85 ̊F deep soak once a week for one hour
85 to 95 ̊F deep soak twice a week for two hours
Above 95 ̊F soak three times a week for two hours
After all wind storms when temperature highs are above 85 ̊F go check the soil moisture.
**For Clay or compacted soil you will need to shorten you water run time and increase the amount of time your water to get the same effect**

Remember to check your sprinklers, filters and drip emitters regularly. A plugged sprinkler or drip emitter will not a water a plant adequately, if at all. Also to prevent fungal disease, try to avoid watering late evening and night on a daily basis, fungus likes cool and moist conditions.

Removing the Stakes

Remember the stakes, if needed, are to be removed after the tree has been planted for a year.

Good Fertilizing Practices

We recommend using the Fertilome Start N Grow every April 1st and July 1st. Or you can use the Miracle-Gro Fertilizer Tree Spikes every April 1 and August 15. You may have to use an additional fertilizer, or to adjust the ph of the soil.

Plant Problem Diagnosis

Remember when a plant is causing you to question it’s health, please contact us when you notice a problem, not after the plant dies, because most of the time a simple fix is all that is required. We invite you to call, or send us an email with photos of the problem or bring us a bagged sample to help you answer and solve your plant problem.

Excerpt from Job's Nursery's Planting and Care Guide

How are trees available for planting from Job's?

Trees can be offered in many different ways, below are the different ways that Job's Nursery offers trees, when they can be planted, and size range.

Potted-Potted Trees are trees grown in pots, usually younger to start with, they range in size from about 4 feet to 12 feet in height and are beginning to develop a good canopy to provide shade in time. They can be planted year round.

Balled and Burlaped (B&B)-B&B trees are trees that are dug out of our field and placed in a burlap lined wire basket to keep their root balls together. B&B trees usually range from 12 ft to 18 feet in height and have a developed canopy to begin providing shade. They can be planted from October to Mid June.

Bare Root Shade Trees- Bare Root Shade Trees are trees grown in our field and harvested in the dormant season (December through April). They range in height from 8 feet to 25 feet tall depending on their stage of maturity.  You can select trees starting September 1st of each year.

Knit Bag Evergreen Trees (Knit Bag Trees)- Knit Bag Trees are evergreens like pines, spruces, cedars, junipers and arborvitae are grown in the fabric bag shaped like a pot that is buried in the ground and allowed to grow until ready.  These trees are harvested from November to April.  You can begin selecting them starting September 1 of each year.

By Alex Job