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By Robert R. Westerfield
University of
Georgia
Spring time is a time of anticipation and outdoor fun. By
accomplishing a few outdoor chores early, we can look for a
landscape that should provide us beauty and enjoyment all year.
The list of possible landscape jobs is almost endless. But focus
now on the more important tasks. It’s a good time, for instance
for last-minute pruning.
Prune roses and other woody ornamentals before their new spring
flush. Prune plants that bloom in early spring, such as dogwoods
and azaleas, immediately after they bloom — if they need a trim.
Use quality pruning tools that are razor sharp. Don’t leave stubs
when you prune. Cut just above a dormant bud or close to the main
trunk just outside the branch collar.
Fertilize right
Spring is also an ideal time to fertilize your shrubs. Apply a
slow-release fertilizer in late March or early April to give your
plants a supply of energy for the growing season.
Be careful not to overfertilize. Your plants don’t need excessive
growth, and the environment doesn’t need the fertilizer your
plants can’t take up.
Not every plant in the landscape needs fertilizer. Mature, large
shrubs may not need any additional growth or added nutrition.
Take a soil test to your county University of Georgia Extension
Service office. The test will tell you what your plants’ exact
nutritional needs are.
Bed prep
Early spring is a great time to prepare annual and perennial
flower beds, too. It may be too early to plant some tender
annuals. But you can be ready by tilling the bed and adding rich
compost or topsoil.
Check that the bed has good drainage so the plants’ roots can
develop properly. Raised beds often work best for annuals.
Other shrubs can safely be added to your landscape in the spring,
too. Remember to provide ample space for the new plants to reach
their mature size.
Pesky weeds
Weed control is critical in the spring. As the ground begins to
warm, many weeds are just waiting to germinate. It’s easier to
control at the early stage or prevent them all together than to
root them out when they are mature and tough.
Applying a registered preemergent herbicide or adding landscape
fabric weed cloth or mulch will go a long way to preventing weeds
in the flower garden. Apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of pine straw or
chips to mulch the landscape bed.
Houseplants can go back outside, too, as daytime temperatures
climb above 50 degrees. It’s a good idea to bring plants back in,
however, if the nighttime temperature is going to dip much lower
than 50 degrees.
Clean up ferns by removing old, crumpled foliage. Repot any
houseplants that have become rootbound. Start back on the regular
watering and fertilizing schedule as the days get warmer.
More chores
Don’t forget about your equipment. If you haven’t done so at the
beginning of winter, it’s still a good idea to drain and change
the oil in your rotary tillers, weed eaters and mowers. Be sure
all nuts, bolts and belts are tight and that any blades are sharp.
Check hand tools such as shovels, hoes and rakes for cracked or
dry handles. Treat them with linseed oil or paint them to protect
them and extend their life.
Spring fever is a good thing if it gets you to thinking about
working outside. A little work in your landscape now can prepare
it for months of enjoyment as the season gets warmer.
(Bob Westerfield is an Extension Service consumer
horticulturist with the University of Georgia College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
