Now is the time to transplant your still-dormant deciduous shrubs and trees and to plant new trees and shrubs. It’s also a good time to remove invasive pest plants like English ivy and Japanese honeysuckle that grow around and up tree trunks and may be detrimental to the tree’s health. It is also a good time to remove other invasive exotic vine species like Oriental Wisteria and Oriental Bittersweet vines.
A common question is whether you should prune your flowering shrubs in spring or fall. The rule of thumb is to prune spring flowering shrubsafter blooming, so now is not the time to prune spring flowering shrubs like azaleas, rhododendron, flowering quince. Now is the ideal time, however, to prune your summer flowering trees and shrubs such as hibiscus, hydrangea, crape myrtle and butterfly bush. A word about crape myrtle — although it is still fashionable, it is not good gardening practice to lop off the top of the plant.
Watch your evergreens for spruce spider mite activity in March and April. This cool season cousin to the better-known two-spotted spider mite, over-winters on host plants and will begin hatching soon. Early detection is key to control. Often the yellowing and bronzing of needles are the first signs of a problem to the unwary gardener, but for the more experienced that monitor for pests, the mites are an easy to find. To check for spruce spider mites, place a white sheet of paper under a branch and shake the branch over the paper. If mites are present, they will be the size of walking periods. If 10 or more are present per sample, treatment is recommended. Some non-chemical treatments that can keep spider mites under control in the landscape include a forceful jet of water from a hose. This dislodges the mite while maintaining natural predators. Some beneficial predators can be purchased and released (lady beetles, lacewings, and predatory mites) to feed on spruce spider mites. In heavy infestations, miticides such as Kelthane and Floramite can give a quick knock down but excessive use can lead to resistance. Heavy attacks that go unnoticed may result in branch dieback or death of the plant, so monitoring is important.
A common pest to American and English varieties of boxwood, the boxwood psyllid, becomes active in spring as the buds begin to grow and leaves unfold. The young nymph of the psyllid will suck sap from the new leaves causing them to curl. Nymphs will remain under the curled leaf feeding until they molt to the adult stage in May or June. Host plants are rarely injured beyond the leaf cupping. Treating now with Orthene or Talstar will give favorable control.
A common question is whether you should prune your flowering shrubs in spring or fall. The rule of thumb is to prune spring flowering shrubsafter blooming, so now is not the time to prune spring flowering shrubs like azaleas, rhododendron, flowering quince. Now is the ideal time, however, to prune your summer flowering trees and shrubs such as hibiscus, hydrangea, crape myrtle and butterfly bush. A word about crape myrtle — although it is still fashionable, it is not good gardening practice to lop off the top of the plant.
Watch your evergreens for spruce spider mite activity in March and April. This cool season cousin to the better-known two-spotted spider mite, over-winters on host plants and will begin hatching soon. Early detection is key to control. Often the yellowing and bronzing of needles are the first signs of a problem to the unwary gardener, but for the more experienced that monitor for pests, the mites are an easy to find. To check for spruce spider mites, place a white sheet of paper under a branch and shake the branch over the paper. If mites are present, they will be the size of walking periods. If 10 or more are present per sample, treatment is recommended. Some non-chemical treatments that can keep spider mites under control in the landscape include a forceful jet of water from a hose. This dislodges the mite while maintaining natural predators. Some beneficial predators can be purchased and released (lady beetles, lacewings, and predatory mites) to feed on spruce spider mites. In heavy infestations, miticides such as Kelthane and Floramite can give a quick knock down but excessive use can lead to resistance. Heavy attacks that go unnoticed may result in branch dieback or death of the plant, so monitoring is important.
A common pest to American and English varieties of boxwood, the boxwood psyllid, becomes active in spring as the buds begin to grow and leaves unfold. The young nymph of the psyllid will suck sap from the new leaves causing them to curl. Nymphs will remain under the curled leaf feeding until they molt to the adult stage in May or June. Host plants are rarely injured beyond the leaf cupping. Treating now with Orthene or Talstar will give favorable control.