Spring at last… almost! The official first day of spring is March 21, but in many parts of the country, it is beginning to feel like spring is already in the air.

For some reason, outdoor jobs that must be done in the spring become enjoyable activities while they’re simply chores at other times of the year. Perhaps it is the anticipation of a new season about to begin and visions of colorful, fragrant blooms that are soon to appear.
So let’s get outside and see what we can do.

Look at that lawn!
It might be a bit of a sorry sight after the winter, but with a bit of TLC, you can coax it back to verdant life. If you can see a fair amount of thatch (the dead, straw-like stuff that is often tangled near the grass roots) you will need to rake it out before you attempt any other lawn care projects. The reason? Anything you add, such as new seed or fertilizer will simply sit on the thatch, rather than getting down into the soil, unless it is removed.

Once you have de-thatched your lawn, you can add a fertilizer. Most garden centers carry a variety of lawn fertilizers. If you’re uncertain, describe your lawn conditions to the manager at the garden center and ask him or her to recommend a particular type of fertilizer. If that doesn’t help, you can always drop an e-mail to steve@landsteward.org and I’ll try to help. Above all, when using fertilizer, be sure to read the instructions thoroughly!

If you need to re-seed (sometimes called overseeding), that’s the final step after any de-thatching or fertilizing that your lawn needed.

Plant and transplant
March is a good time to plant those new roses, berries, fruit trees and most deciduous plants. If you’re still not sure what to plant, there’s still time to go online and do some research but don’t leave it too long.
As for transplanting existing plants from one spot to another, time is running out, so do it as soon as you can because many plants are already starting their annual spring growth.
PruningIf you need to prune ornamental trees and shrubs, the best time to do so is before growth starts. The exceptions to that rule are spring-flowering shrubs. For those, you need to wait until after they finish flowering. This would be a good time to prune roses if they look like they need a trim. Again, I’m happy to advise on any specific pruning questions you might have.

Weeding
Probably everyone’s least-favorite garden activity, perhaps because it feels destructive rather than constructive, and it can be backbreaking work. As I’ve said before, do a little at a time, interspersed with more enjoyable garden activities, and it will seem less of a pain in the, uh, knees.
If you’re using a cultivator as part of your spring gardening project, don’t be tempted to use it in bulb beds.

Remove the weeds by hand or you’ll risk injuring the delicate root systems.

Pick your perennials
Even if it is still too early to plant perennials in your area, take a look around your landscape and decide if you can brighten the place up with a few new “faces.” Gardening books and magazines and online Web sites should give you plenty of ideas, once you determine the amount of sunlight and the soil conditions affecting that part of your landscape.

Buying perennials that have already experienced at least one full growing season is worth the additional cost as they will probably be sturdier and more likely to thrive than smaller, cheaper options.
I like to think of perennial plants as the backbone of the flower garden because they’re the plants with staying power. Their leaves die back as winter approaches, but with luck, the following spring, they come back. Some plants are short-lived, but old favorites like daylilies, and hostas can thrive for decades.

Get outside, breathe in that fresh (almost) spring air and learn why you love your landscape all over again!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: “We live in San Francisco on the roof top of a 10 story condo building. Our unit features a 16’x30’ paved patio, which flanks our neighbor’s patio, separated by a steel ‘privacy’ fence with holes. We are looking for suggestions for vines or other plants that will survive in containers, endure the SF weather patterns, not drop their leaves, and provide adequate privacy from the neighbors – that is, grow to 4 feet high and spread horizontally. The area where we need the plants faces north and gets sun in the afternoon. Any suggestions?” — Laura and Bill

ANSWER: You might consider climbing plants such as Carolina Jessamine, creeping fig, bougainvillea, climbing roses, climbing hydrangea, clematis and trumpet vine for the fence itself, then add some containers of smaller growing plants (up to 4 feet in height with some variation in color and size) such as bamboo, agave and palms.
Most of the vine plants listed above bloom. The evergreens are the Carolina Jessamine and evergreen varieties of the clematis. The other vine varieties will probably still go dormant even with San Francisco’s mild weather.

QUESTION: “I have ten cedar Green Giant quartz sized plants that have been in the ground since September and are beginning to look like they need some fertilizer. We had several days of frost and cold weather the last couple of weeks and that’s when their color changed. I have given them a deep watering about every two weeks.
“What type of fertilizer should I use on the Green Giants and also how often should I fertilizer them to ensure a fast growth rate? They were very healthy plants when I received them and want to keep them that way!” – Nancy Melia

ANSWER: I would wait just about a month before you fertilize. To green them back up and begin to put on more foliage you will need a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content then the other elements. I would use a 20-10-10 or equivalent to begin with, if using oil based fertilizer. Take about one half cup and circle it around the base about 6 to 12 inches from the stem or trunk of the tree.
If you go with organic, which is my preference, use either fish emollient or rich compost. Hope this helps and keep me informed. I should add that it is natural for the trees to have brownish or purple tinge to them after a cold snap.

QUESTION: “I live in Maryland where the temperatures for the last two months were in the 50′s and 60′s. Now near we are finally having winter weather (20 – 30 degrees). However, my tulips and crocus are about four inches above ground. Is there anything I can do to protect them from the now freezing temperatures – or do I just let them go and hope for the best?
“I also noticed that some of my dogwood trees that I planted last year are beginning to get buds on them. What will this weird weather do to them? Thanks for any assistance you can give me.” – Pam Crawmer

ANSWER: This is happening all over and there just isn’t a lot you can do to prevent the bulbs from popping up early when the weather is as warm as it as been in many places this winter.
You can try covering them in a thick layer (3-4 inches) of mulch or taking a heavy cover, such as a tarp, and covering them, especially during the cold evenings that we are currently having. This might help to save some of your bulbs. Once they come up they die back and don’t generally produce any regrowth in the same spring. As far as they are concerned, they did their thing.
If you can’t do the mulch or tarp, dig some up and put them in pots for enjoying inside. They should still grow and run their course indoors where the temps are much warmer.

The same thing happens with trees or shrubs that are spring flowering: if they flower too early and are hit by cold weather knocking off the blooms, they will not bloom again this spring. Leaves will come out, but no blooms.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Some friends of mine recently moved into a new home built on land that sloped away gently from front to back. This meant that there was a fairly large expanse of bare brick at the rear of the home that needed something to soften it up.
He asked my opinion and I had several ideas, some more obvious than others. Here is one of my suggestions that might not immediately spring to mind.
Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
This is a climber that seems to think it’s capable of scaling Mount Everest, if it wasn’t for the Nepalese climate. Yes, I’m exaggerating but this climbing hydrangea can grow to around 50 or 80 feet, so covering an expanse of wall shouldn’t be too tough an assignment.
It sports a rich, dense green foliage, and between May and July erupts in a mass of creamy white flowers. In the winter, the reddish-brown peeling bark is very attractive and the dried flower heads make attractive additions to seasonal floral arrangements.
In addition to bare brick walls, it works well on a trellis, a fence or a pergola and can make a very attractive groundcover, “climbing” horizontally.
I had some suggestions for my friends that would work well in other areas of their new landscape.
Grass Dallas Blues (Panicum vigatum Dallas Blues)
Fans of Dallas Blues consider it to be among the finest of our native grasses, and for good reason. In addition to the powder blue foliage found in Panicums, Dallas Blues has a trick up its sleeve for the early fall. In September you’ll suddenly notice large, finely textured, purple-tinged flower panicles that seem to hover over the plant like a cloud. It makes a nice addition to the traditional fall palette of red, orange and gold.
In the winter, the brown stems add movement to an otherwise static landscape as they sway gently with the wind. The seed plumes last well into the winter, too, providing food for visiting birds.
I suggested Dallas Blues to my friends for use as a perennial border, but it would also work well as part of a wild garden or adjacent to a water feature. It grows to around 5 feet tall and can make an effective screen when a row of Blues are planted about 4 feet apart.
Magic Carpet Spiraea (Spiraea japonica Magic Carpet)
In the summer, this is a real dazzler. In full bloom, deep pink flowers cover the bronze to light green red-tipped foliage. In the spring, vibrant red shoots begin to emerge before assuming their bronze-green summer hues. In the fall, Magic Carpet’s russet tones will last well into November in most climates.
Magic Carpet is a deciduous dwarf shrub with a mature height between one and two feet, and makes an ideal three-season groundcover or a colorful filler.
For a slightly larger version, you could take a look at Dart’s Red Spiraea (Spiraea x bumalda dart’s red) that grows to about two or three feet tall with a spread of up to four or five feet. The pinkish spring foliage turns to a dark bluish-green at maturity.
At my friends’ home, the newly constructed wood fence was pleasant but not too inviting. I had a suggestion for the gate area leading from the driveway to the fenced back yard…
Mock Orange hedge form (Philadelphus virginalis mock orange)
Several hedge form Mock Orange shrubs planted two feet apart on both sides of the gate area would make an inviting entryway to the yard beyond.
This is one of the most popular of the mock oranges due to its remarkably powerful fragrance and pure white flowers that are evident from late spring to early summer. With a mature height of six to ten feet, the scale is ideal for entryways or lining a driveway.
Drop me a line if you want to know more about any of these plants or if you need some inspiration for your own landscape.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: “When a description says the plant is deciduous, does that always mean it loses its leaves? Does it lose both its flowers and leaves or just flowers? I plan to landscape the front of our house, which faces east, and down the side of the house, which faces north. My husband and I want color and the foundation planting that will keep its leaves, which I always considered evergreen, but now I’m not so sure I’m understanding what to call different plants. How do I know what part of the plant is “deciduous”? Or is this a stupid question? I hope not. I just need help.” – Libby Sexton

ANSWER: It can be confusing sometimes. A deciduous plant (tree or shrub) will go dormant (its rest period) beginning when either the weather starts becoming colder (40’s to 50’s) or when an area experiences a hard frost (temperatures dropping below 32 degrees, usually overnight). It will begin to lose its leaves at this time. Blooming plants have specific periods when they bloom. They aren’t always in bloom. Many will bloom either in spring or summer.

“Evergreen” is used to describe plants (trees/shrubs) that do not go dormant and retain their leaves or needles. This generally refers to pines, spruces, boxwoods, junipers, yews and holly. Broadleaf evergreens are plants that retain leaves (very thick leaves) year round. But, they do shed the leaves periodically. This will apply to plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons and photinia.

Perennials are (usually) smaller plants which die completely back to the ground after cool weather or frost sets in, then return the following season. Annuals are plants that you have to set out every year as they will die completely. These include marigolds, pansies, geraniums, and other decorative often flowering plants.

QUESTION: “I have three holly bushes in shade (at least one female and at least one male, though I do not remember whether we have two males or two females), and they have had no berries for the last several years. What can I do to fix this problem?” – Janet Furey

ANSWER: Actually, this is one of the most frequent questions that I receive. I am so used to answering it that I guess I just didn’t think about including it in the column or newsletter. Thanks’ for the idea. But, so as not keep you in suspense, I’ll share it with you now.

Not all hollies enjoy shade. If your varieties prefer sun, the shade can limit any blooming. You would have to move the plants.

One male plant can pollinate 4-6 female plants. But, both sexes must be in bloom at the same time and planted within 100 feet of each other. If several did produce berries at one time, the one holly bush that didn’t have berries that year will be the male (male hollies don’t produce berries).

Hollies don’t usually begin flowering until after the 4th year. If your plants are younger, that might be the reason for no berries.

Hard frosts during their blooming period can cause the blooms to fall off before pollination. Cool and rainy spring weather will limit insects from pollinating effectively. Plants can be covered during blooming if cold weather is anticipated.

Recently I read that too much nitrogen in the soil can cause the blooms to fall off before pollination takes place. This can be caused not only from direct application of fertilizer to the plants, but run off from lawn and surrounding bed applications as well. Test your soil.

These are the most common reasons that holly shrubs will not produce fruit. I hope the list helps you find the cause of your plants not fruiting.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org