Seasonal Maintenance Guides

"Natures does nothing uselessly"
- Aristotle

There's no better time to make additions to your landscape because the roots will grow all winter in the warm soil making for strong, vigorous plants to withstand next year's hot days.

P L A N T

Trees, shrubs and cool season annuals.

M O W

As needed. Clean, sharpen and oil mowers, edgers, sprayers and other garden tools.

M U L C H

All bare soil – it's vital for moisture retention. Mulch also makes your landscape look balanced. We use shredded Cypress and Texas Hardwood Mulch for top dressing at depths of 3 to 4 inches and a landscape mix with pine bark mulch for bed preparation using 2 to 3 inches. We don't recommend Cedar mulch because of its toxicity. It also keeps weeds down, provides soil nutrients and provides an aesthetically pleasing look.

P R U N E

We recommend consulting a professional. Don't cut off the tops of Crape Mrytles. Use tree pruning paint on Oaks and then disinfect the blade after you've pruned them to prevent the spread of the fatal disease called Oak Wilt. We don't suggest pruning perennials and most shrubs now as the tender new growth is freeze sensitive. Roses may be pruned later in the month. Most plants are best pruned while dormant.

Pruning Guide
Shade Trees: Ash, Elm, Maple, Oak, Pecan, Pistachio and Sycamore.

Summer Flowering Trees: Crape Myrtles, Desert Willows, and Vitex.

Summer Flowering Shrubs: Abelia, Butterfly Bush, Holly, Kidneywood, Mexican Oregano, Possum Haw Holly, and Texas Sage.

Broadleaf and Needle Leaf Evergreens: Shear or trim anytime to maintain form and size: Cherry Laurel, Euonymus, Evergreen Sumac, Holly, Juniper, Ligustrum, Photinia, Pittosporum, Southern Wax Myrtle, and Yaupon.

S P R A Y

For insect and disease problems.

W A T E R

At least every week unless it rains. Water before temperatures go below freezing and don't water while it's freezing. Walking on frozen grass stresses the roots. Check with your water provider for current restrictions.

W E E D S

Use the correct herbicide for your particular grass. If you overseed with winter grass, don't apply herbicides.

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures."
- F. Bacon

P L A N T

Trees, shrubs and cool season annuals.

Now is a great time to plant woody ornamental plants such as Roses.
Rose bushes make lovely Valentine gifts.
In late month you can plant seeds of Sweet Alyssum, Calendula, Larkspur, Coreopsis and Coneflower.

W A T E R

Water once a week if there isn't rain. Historically, freezing weather can continue into March so be sure to water before temperatures go below freezing and don't water while it's freezing. Walking on frozen grass stresses the roots. We cover our delicate plants such as Camellias, Gardenias, Hibiscus and Palms with cotton sheets on the coldest nights. Check with your water provider for current restrictions.

M O W

Mow as needed right now. It's a good time of year to check your lawn mower. Sharpen the blade, change spark plugs and drain out old gasoline. We recommend the following mower setting heights: 2 inches for St. Augustine and Buffalo Grass, 1 and 1/2 inches is good for Zoysia and Common Bermuda and 1 inch for Hybrid Bermuda. For groundcovers, such as Asian Jasmine and Liriope, use the highest setting and one mowing will suffice for the year. Ornamental grasses can be pruned to about 8 inches or let them go and the new green growth will blend in with the old brown.

M U L C H

All bare soil. It keeps water in and weeds down. We recommend using shredded Cypress and Texas Hardwood Mulch for top dressing at depths of 3 to 4 inches and a landscape mix with pine bark mulch for bed preparation using 2 to 3 inches. Make sure the mulch is kept back several inches from the trunk or stem to keep it as dry as possible because excessive moisture will build up around their bases leading to fungal problems. Areas not planted for winter can be mulched to protect the surface and leave the beds to 'rest' for spring planting.

F E R T I L I Z E

Flowers and Herbs
Fertilize winter annuals every few weeks to keep them vigorous and productive. Pansies and other winter annuals such as Dianthus and Snapdragons should be fed this month with a complete fertilizer. A blend of 3-1-2- or 4-1-2 ratio of nutrients is adequate for most soils. Apply 2 cups per 100 sq. feet of bed. Work into soil surface and water well. Water soluble formulas can easily be applied as you water. Follow directions so plants won't be burned by too much solution. Pinch off faded blossoms to encourage further flowering.

Dianthus which is a bi-annual (meaning lasting two seasons) and Pansies and Snapdragons which are annuals (lasting one season) will flower if maintained.

Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Lawns and Groundcover
We suggest waiting until next month to fertilize.

P R U N E

Trim dead or diseased leaves and wood and don't put any diseased matter in your compost pile. Common sense dictates that plants are more attractive when you prune to maintain their natural shape and form. We disinfect our tools with bleach and then oil them to prevent rust. You can also use alcohol or spray disinfectants too.
We clean tools between plant species and don't trim when the plants are wet to avoid possible disease transmission.
Don't prune your spring blooming plants because you can cut off the flower buds. Wait until March to trim flowering perennials because of the possibility of a hard freeze still this year.

Trees
You can prune deciduous shade trees such as Ash, Elm, Maple, Oak, Sycamore and Pistachio, some fruit trees and summering flowering trees such as Crape Myrtles and Vitex which will encourage them to grow more densely this coming season. Remember with Crape Myrtles not to 'dehorn' or cut off the tops but remove the damaged limbs, the basal suckers (small shoots) and branches that are rubbing. As a general rule, don't cut branches that are larger than the size of a pencil.

Live Oak trees should have been pruned by now. We prune them in the coldest and hottest times of the year so the beetle (iridescent, purple colored) that spreads the deadly Oat Wilt disease will be less active. Pruning later in the season will leave your trees vulnerable to these beetles because they are attracted to fresh cuts on the Oak trees. Also Shumard Oak, Red Oak and Blackjack Oak should not be pruned between Feb 1 and June 1 because of Oak Wilt susceptibility too.

The first 5 years of a tree's life are critical to developing a strong, healthy tree form. We remove any growth that inhibits an upward arch for a canopy effect. This stops wasting the plant's energy. Using loppers or a chainsaw, we remove the weakest branches where they meet the central leader (main trunk). We prune small limbs from branches if they are not growing upwards. We also remove the little straight shoots called suckers flush at the branch and on the ground. By pruning now, spring provides the most rapid healing time to give your trees a chance to fend off infection.

Shrubs
We use loppers and hand pruners for shrubs. We trim them now severely to allow for more growth. There are three ways to prune shrubs: 1) selectively pick prune 2) shear no more than a third off and 3) remove old stems at the base.

Woody plants you may be training should be pruned just before the first spring growth spurt begins such as Abelias, Hollies and Nandinas. Abelia pruned too much won't have as many blooms. These dependable shrubs bloom throughout much of the growing season if left relatively untrimmed.

Encourage wood vines to branch from the ground by trimming back the terminal buds on the ends of the vines once a month and continue until they have filled the area. Summer flowering shrubs including Altheas, Gardenias, and Oleanders may be pruned now. Resist shaping them into box or ball-shaped specimens as they are more attractive in their natural state unless they are in a formal setting.

Pruning Roses
Repeat blooming Roses can be pruned around Valentine's Day while early spring bloomers should be trimmed after blooming. Now is a good time to transplant Roses and add new ones. They need sunny, well drained sites to grow because in shade they'll get leggy and are susceptible to fungal leaf diseases.

Antique Roses need to be pruned less then the moderns. Roses should also be clipped so their free-form shape is maintained. Except for Tea Roses, which shouldn't be cut back more than 1/4th, no Rose should be cut back more than 1/3rd.

Climbing Roses don't need to be cut the first 2 or 3 years except for dead or damaged stems. Once past the 3 year stage, it will depend on the type. Climbers such as Don Juan can be pruned now while they are dormant while Lady Banks Rose shouldn't be pruned this early in the year but later in the spring after they have finished blooming.

Make each cut on your Rose canes just above a 'bud' which points outward off the stem and away from the center of the plant. Make your pruning cuts at 30-45 degree angles, taking care to use hand pruners with a sharp blade so the canes are cut cleanly rather than crushed. If the stem's center is white or green that means it's healthy. Brown and tan coloring means the stem is damaged so cut slightly further down on the cane so you can cut into healthy wood and encourage further growth.

L A W N S  A N D  G R O U N D C O V E R S

Lawns
If your lawn did poorly last year, test your soil this spring before you fertilize to see exactly what is needed to improve its appearance. Local garden centers or the Travis County Agricultural Extension Agent should be able to provide you with soil testing.

Pull out weeds you see now because it's easier when they're small and it's healthier than using a weed killer. The best way to eliminate weeds is to make sure your grass is thick and healthy so it will be able to choke out weeds on its own. Begin fertilizing lawns at the end of March. If you have too many weeds to pull then use the appropriate weed killer for your lawn.

Apply a pre-emergent herbicide if you found your lawn infested last year. Proper timing is the key to these preparations. To be effective it must be on the ground before the weeds start germinating. Read the directions carefully. While many pre-emergent herbicides are sold premixed with fertilizer in 'weed and feed' combinations, it's best to apply these products separately. To get the most for your gardening dollar, buy your fertilizer separately and apply it when the lawn is growing and able to use it.

Groundcover
Pull out any weeds you see or spot spray with a weed killer. The best way to eliminate weeds is to make sure your ground cover is thick and healthy so it will be able to choke out weeds on its own. Fertilizing groundcover begins in late March to early April. Kill seeds germinating right now by using a pre-emergent herbicide such as Eptam.

Groundcovers like Monkey Grass (Mondo Grass), Liriope and Asian Jasmine can get ragged looking in late winter. Shearing with a line trimmer or mower can remove the old growth. Use a high setting on your mower. Complete this trimming before the new growth starts to emerge.