It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: When it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~~~ Charles Dickens Let s Take A Walk Down Our Garden Path Those March days that Charles Dickens referred to is the promise of our coming spring and the lovely flowering perennials that will greet us. My favorites are: The Lenten Rose or Helleborus, and other dry shade perennials. Don t you just love a plant that braves what nature throws at us, and can show off at this time of year? One of Sugar Creek s favorites is the Oriental hybrid Lenten Rose (Helleborus x hybridus). They bloom around the beginning of Lent. Hellebore or Lenten Roses are long-blooming peak bloom March thru April lowmaintenance, basically evergreen, perennials that tolerate dry shade and may even flower before the snow melts. Lenten Rose Helleborus When walking my dogs in my neighborhood, one gentleman gardener has dozens of blooming Hellebore tucked throughout his gardens that adjoin the sidewalk. I ve been blessed - I m now cured of my late-winter blues! Hellebore come in virtually any color you want, white, green, pink, yellow, apricot, purple, blue and red. They generally enjoy slightly neutral to acidic soils but should not be planted in a spot that s too wet as this encourages rot. Hellebore thrive in dry shade. When planting, the crown should be just covered by soil. Remove past year s foliage in late January or early February before buds emerge. They are untroubled by diseases or pests, including deer. Adding Hellebore to your garden expands the possibilities of our winter and spring landscapes and combine beautifully with Daffodils. 15
Other plants for dry shade that blend beautifully with Hellebore are Pachysandra, Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Barrenwort (Epimedium), Foam Flower (Tiarella), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra ), Columbine (Aquilegia), Wee Folk s Stockings (Corydalis lutea), Coral Bell (Heuchera) and Oxalis. Another March blooming perennial that blends beautifully with the plants mentioned above is Lungwort or Bethlehem Sage (Pulmonaria), for shade to part shade, even dry shady spots. With its showy white marbled foliage and clumping habit it makes an excellent accent plant. Deer and slugs dislike this spring bloomer. Lungwort Pulmonaria It s Time To Prune several Plants Ornamental Grasses should be cut back this month, especially before they start shedding. Cut the stems down to within 12 at the base. How to Prune Crapemyrtles Crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia) have become more and more popular in the St. Louis area as they thrive in heat and humidity and are drought tolerant. One problem we see with Crapemrytles is incorrect pruning. Correct pruning yields gracefully shaped trees with upright strong stems and more blooms that arrive earlier than those on unpruned or wrongly pruned plants. Crapemyrtles bloom on new growth, so they should be pruned in early spring before they break dormancy. Briefly, start at the bottom. A healthy, well-structured Crapemyrtle will only have a few main trunks: 3, 5, or, at most 7. An odd number of trunks are more pleasing to the eye, keep those that have ample space to grow and are growing straight. Prune suckers and any additional trunks close to the soil line. Then thin the crown to improve the tree s looks and health. The upper branches look best if spread in direct directions, remove any that are growing into an area already occupied. Make cuts slightly above a bud that faces the direction you want your new branch to grow. Remove limbs that cross back through the plant or rub against another. To allow better air circulation and sunlight, remove excess branches in the interior of the plant. Final cuts will be to prune out any branches or stems smaller in diameter than a pencil. Crapemrytles Lagerstroemia 16
How to Prune Cane-Growing Shrubs Cane-growing shrubs grow from multiple stems rather than single branched trunks. They reach their mature size within a few years and have a graceful, arching habit that is beautiful in any landscape. Some examples of these shrubs are Calycanthus, Callicarpa, Forsythia, Lilacs, Redtwig Dogwood, Rose of Sharon, Smoke Bush, Spirea, Viburnum and Weigela. With age, the stems become more susceptible to borers, cankers, and other problems causing them to produce less flowers and vigorous side shoots. The best way to keep cane-growing shrubs healthy, productive, and looking good is to periodically thin out old stems. Spring blooming shrubs should be pruned after the flowers fade. Summer or fall blooming shrubs, or shrubs that don t bloom much at all, should be pruned in early spring. Lilac Syringa Start by removing the three oldest (thickest) stems at ground level. Next, prune more stems at ground level in a random natural-looking pattern until about one-third of the stems are removed. Make sure to start with stems that are damaged or diseased. Finally, look for any unwieldy growth and cut back any branches or stems that are unappealing. This will give the shrub a finished yet natural appearance. As a yearly routine, you will have a healthy and vigorous cane-growing shrub. Pruning Hydrangeas Simple deadheading to remove spent Hydrangea blooms can be done at any time. Bigleaf Hydrangea, (H. macrophylla), Mountain Hydrangea, (H. serrata) and Oakleaf Hydrangea, (H. quercifolia), do not require pruning and should only be pruned for shape and cutting out dead wood. Panicle Hydrangea, (H. paniculata), and Smooth Hydrangea, (H. arborescens), bloom on new wood and should be pruned hard now. Panicle Hydrangea s weak branches should be cut out, leaving 3 or 4 of the strongest stems cut back to around 1-2. Smooth Hydrangea can be pruned to the ground or for larger plants prune canes 1-3. For a crash course in Hydrangea selection and care visit the Heavenly Hydrangea gardening guide in the back of the Calendar. In addition, for more information visit the St. Louis Hydrangea Society s website, www.stlouishydrangeasociety.org. You may wish to JOIN! March Gardening Suggestions And Observations Winter mulches should be loosened from perennials. Cover tender foliage plants at night if a hard frost is forecasted. Remove weeds and dead foliage from beds. As soon as soil can be worked, apply phosphate along with organic matter and dig in lightly. When growth becomes active, apply a balanced fertilizer. Perennials, trees and shrubs can be planted when the soil has dried out enough that it has become loose and crumbly. 17
Clean up and destroy old foliage on Iris before new growth begins. Spread bulb fertilizer over planting beds to feed bulbs. Granules that stick to foliage should be hosed off. Late summer and fall-blooming perennials may be divided this month, if needed. Use outer portions discarding hard-core centers. Before new growth occurs complete pruning trees. Do not prune trees during new leaf growth. Shrubs, perennials and trees may be planted as soon as soil has dried out a bit and can be worked. Apply garden sulfur by carefully working into soils around acid-loving plants such as Azalea, Rhododendron, Holly and Dogwood. Violets, Pansies and Toadflax (Linaria) may be planted. Pull back mulch from rose bushes. Before new growth begins, mow lawns low to remove old growth. Apply products to control wild garlic and wild onions. Broadleaf herbicides should also be applied at this time to control cool-season perennial weeds and annual weeds. Do not apply to areas that will be seeded soon. Lawns that have bare patches and thin spots can be over seeded now. Houseplants begin growing as daylight lengthens. Root-bound plants should be repotted in containers 2 inches larger in diameter than the old pot, Sugar Creek Gardens has a beautiful selection of new containers. Check for insect activity. Apply indoor garden insect spray, if needed. Now is the time to prune leggy houseplants. Sugar Creek Gardens will be happy to recommend products for these common problems you may encounter in March Black Spot Apply fungal control products. Peony Blotch Apply fungal control products. 18
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