Priscilla’s Garden To-Do List for May

Fertilize cutback shrubs (hydrangeas, butterfly bush, smoke tree, etc) with a slow-release organic fertilizer to jump-start growth and later bloom Stake peonies early Scratch in Pro Holly around broadleaf evergreens that are young or have off-color after winter Fertilize blueberries and raspberries to encourage fruit production Divide fall blooming perennials Transplant perennials before they get…

Garden To-Do List

Priscilla’s Garden To-Do List for March into Early April

Cut back standing ornamental grasses, perennials, and clean up excess leaves in beds Leave perennials standing until three 50 degree days in a row have passed to allow overwintering pollinators to disperse (NOTE: we’ve had these three days already) Experiment with leaving hollow-stemmed perennial stalks 12”-15” to encourage use by native bees for nesting; a daub…

Image of Pink Tulips

Bulb Care in Late Spring

The heat and dry period put a fast end to the bulb show in late May. Now what? Let your bulb foliage “ripen” or dry out in the summer heat, then remove it when it turns brown. This is how the bulbs photosynthesize and build up energy for next spring’s bloom. We have been scratching in bulb…

Priscilla’s Garden To-Do List for Late April/Early May

Finish planting bareroot stock such as roses, raspberries, asparagus, and fruit trees Keep transplanting and dividing late summer and fall-blooming perennials Plant containers with frost-resistant varieties Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials Finish pruning and fertilizing roses Prune hydrangeas and scratch in an acid-loving fertilizer to promote bloom Topdress winter damaged broad-leaved evergreens with compost and…