My blog may have withered away to a single annual posting, but at least it's one that serves me well. Every year, I pull together a post detailing what needs doing when, what worked and what didn't, and what I want to do in the future.
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| Allium "Gladiator" |
April
Dust peonies with copper fungicide to limit blight. Done 4/21/2017. Re-apply in June.
Top-dress spring-flowering bulbs with 3-5-3 when the leaf-tips emerge. Started 4/7/2018; completed 4/1/2018.
Prune and clean up shrubs damaged by winter snows. On-going!
Treat daylilies infected by Aurebasidium microsictum fungus with Daconil (chlorothalonil) every two weeks. Done 4/21/2017.
Sprinkle with a little HollyTone to counteract lime leached from house foundation into flower bed around daylilies and evening primrose. Done 4/19/2018.
Sprinkle with a little HollyTone to counteract lime leached from house foundation into flower bed around daylilies and evening primrose. Done 4/19/2018.
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| Larkspur seeds |
Winter-sow larkspur seeds from Monticello. Done 4/14/2018.
Shape "New Dawn" rose canes. And figure out a support structure.
Feed evergreens along front of house with Holly-Tone. Spread with 8 lbs. 4/19/2018.
Dose "New Dawn" rose with 1/2 cup of Epsom salts in 2 cups water.
Shape "Major Wheeler" honeysuckle slightly but hold off until after blooming to prune back hard to 50%.
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| SWS' surplus irises |
May
Plant dahlias. Dahlias arrived 4/19/2018!
Top-dress beds with composted cow manure throughout month. Started 4/21/2018.
Review spring bulb performance. What needs to be replaced or amplified?
Set up front porch and garden table containers.
That stuff that you didn't get to last month? Do it now.
June
Plant 3 Cathedral white salvia in bed at back of house.
Edge garden beds.
Mid-June:
Spray Pachysandra, periwinkle and rhododendron with Four Seasons horticultural oil to combat scale infestation. Spray again 10 days later.
Cut out deadwood from and thin spirea hedge.
Scratch 1 1/4 cups of RoseTone around the roots of "New Dawn" climbing rose now monthly through the summer; be sure to stop feeding by August 15 in order to prevent developing new growth that will not have time to harden off before fall temperatures drop.
After flowering, shear Amsonia hubrichtii by 1/3 of its height to promote better form.
After flowering, shear Amsonia hubrichtii by 1/3 of its height to promote better form.
When it is 3 feet tall, cut Joe pye weed "Gateway" back to half its height to encourage dense growth.
Stake dahlias when the tubers are planted and again and again as they grow. Stop dahlias by pinching stem back to four pairs of leaves.
Pinch back shasta daisies to 6". Or just get rid of them?
And stake, stake, stake!
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| Daylilies |
July
After flowering, prune the "New Dawn" climbing rose.
Prune back 50-80% of "Major Wheeler" honeysuckle after bloom is over.
Late August/Early September
Separate Siberian irises along bed at back of house as needed.
Time to order spring bulbs!
* Indoor at least 25 paperwhite narcissus bulbs and 2 amaryllis bulbs
* Outdoor: 25 Gladiator allium
Plant spring bulbs.
Dig in bone meal around peonies.
Lightly feed evergreens along front of house with Holly-Tone.
Start forcing paperwhites indoors for Thanksgiving bloom.
Veterans Day
Top-dress beds with composted cow manure.
Late December
Start planning plant purchases for 2018.
