This feels like a long winter. Not because there have been blizzards every other week, but because COVID-19 has been keeping me cooped up inside binge watching episodes of Magnum P.I., just so I could feel like I went on vacation. Fortunately, there have been some wonderfully warm days, which has interrupted my winter madness by allowing me to get into the garden and start my spring cleanup. </p> You can start your spring cleanup as soon as the ground thaws. This is usually in March, but as you know, we have had some thaws during February. Perennials can be cut back to the basal growth, or the crown of the plant. If you look closely, you may be able to see new growth popping up through the crown. On more delicate perennials such as lupine (Lupinus</em>) or columbine (Aquilegia</em>), I use my hands to clean out the dead. On tougher plants, I use a small garden rake, especially with ground covers like lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantine</em>). </p> Cut grasses back by leaving 1 to 2 inches of old growth, which protects new shoots and keeps things looking tidy. While some grasses like blue avena grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens</em>) do not require cutting back (try combing through it with your hands to release the dead blades) many grasses may start showing classic signs of “the donut.” The donut is when your grasses or perennials start to die back in the center and create a hole in the middle of the plant. At this point, you can divide your plants to rejuvenate and reduce the size of the clumps, then just plant the extra clumps for more plants. Win-win!</p> Late winter and early spring are perfect for pruning for shrubs and is not just limited to breaking out the electric shears. As shrubs age, they can get very dense and woody, creating a hedge. If this is your goal, only prune out the dead, damaged or diseased stems. This allows energy to be redirected to newer growth. For shrubs five years or older, you may want to prune out more to allow for air circulation and light penetration.</p> It is most important to know what kind of shrub you have, and whether it blooms on old growth, or new growth. Old growth refers to shrubs that bloom on last year’s growth. These shrubs, such as lilacs, forsythias, and some hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla, H. quercifolia</em>), should be pruned in the summer after they finish blooming. Shrubs that bloom on new growth, or this year’s growth, can be pruned in the spring, such as some hydrangeas (H. paniculata, H. aborescence</em>), and rose of Sharon (Hibiscus</em>). </p> Trees also can use a little dormant pruning during this time, but I like to stick with the rule of never cutting out more than 25 percent of the crown per year. Stick to pruning the 5 D’s: dead, dying, damaged, diseased or disfigured (this includes crossing or rubbing) branches. Make sure you have a plan before you start and remember that this process takes years. </p> Finally, the cherry on top of the sundae: mulch. Giving your beds a two- to three-inch layer of mulch helps to keep in moisture, regulate soil temperatures, protect any shallow roots and promote microbial communities that keep soil healthy. While you don’t want to put mulch directly on top of perennials or up against woody trunks, placing mulch around your freshly cleaned plants will enhance plant health as well as aesthetic. You may only need to rake up the old mulch, give it a nice air fluff and re-apply it to make things look fabulous all season. </p> Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a rush to the finish line. As soon as we start having nice days, I like to tackle my garden a little at a time. As Billy Ocean said, “Get outta my dreams and into my yard!”*</p> *Not a direct quote from Billy Ocean.</em> </p>
A beloved plant is showing signs that they have reached the end of their life span. You check your local nursery and can’t find an adequate replacement, nor any seed pods for your plant. What do you do?</p> This is where vegetative cuttings come in handy. Vegetative cuttings are a type of clonal propagation where a piece of the original plant is removed and rooted to create a new plant identical to the original. There are three main factors to consider when propagating with vegetative cuttings that are critical to your success: health, heat and hydration.</p> When considering health, choose a branch that is free from disease and that has healthy new growth. If you are taking cuttings from perennials, it is best to take them when the new growth has just matured, and the leaves have fully expanded. A general rule of thumb for herbaceous plants is to take the cutting from the end of a branch and to cut where the stem bends. Cutting where the growth is still soft will speed along the rooting. If you are propagating a woody plant, take the cuttings in the spring when the new growth has emerged, but not hardened off. Look at the color of the growth, if the first several inches are lighter or greener than the rest of the branch, you have fresh growth. Cut where the color changes from green or light brown to the color of the rest of the branch.</p> For heat, the soil needs to stay between 65 and 75 degrees and the air temperature needs to remain in a similar range. To achieve this in your home, find a bright window space in a room that stays warm and not a cold, drafty window as this will slow down rooting. If your cuttings are in a pot, you can place a clear plastic bag over the pot to trap heat around the cutting. If the cuttings are in a plastic tray, you can purchase clear plastic domes that fit over the tray to create a greenhouse effect.</p> When handling hydration, keep the plant hydrated until it can grow roots. Cuttings can take in water from the air through pores in the leaves called stomata. To trap humidity, plant your cuttings in wet soil, use a spray bottle to mist the leaves, and cover them with clear plastic as described before. Then, place your cuttings in a warm spot. The heat will evaporate water in the soil and trap it within the plastic covering, creating a warm, humid microclimate perfect for rooting cuttings. If you notice your cuttings wilting, use the spray bottle to mist the leaves. After a few days, they should not need to be misted anymore. </p> By following the three principals of health, heat and hydration and experimenting with different plants you will be on your way to successfully propagating your own cuttings at home.</p> </p> This article was contributed by Emily McAuley, horticulturist (green house production - Chatfield Farms) and first appeared in Life on Capitol Hill.</em></p> </p>
