A common site this winter...
This season has definitely gotten off to a slow start! It has been a particularly challenging winter that left us with a lot of winter kill, deer & rodent damage. If your plats are experiencing winter damage—(i.e. stress) this is a good time to fertilize with Holly Tone, Plant Tone, etc. We also recommend using a product called PHC Bio-Pak Plus which adds a lot of micro-nutrients to the soil and is a root stimulator. We have found this works very well on stressed plants.
One question I am frequently asked this time of year –Is it
normal for my conifers to be shedding needles on the inside? Just as deciduous trees shed leaves, conifers
shed needles before pushing new growth.
If you have had winter kill or deer damage now is the time
to prune back the plant to encourage the dormant buds to grow. In the case of rhododendrons you may be
pruning off some of this year’s flowers; but, I believe it is better for the
plant to be using its resources to produce new leaves and new growth.
Another great thing to do this time of year –as I was just
discussing with one of our customers—weed early and often; try to get the weeds before the weeds have a
chance to set a good root system.
In the case of rodent damage on trees and shrubs girdling
the bark (hopefully they have not gone completely around the plant) you can
remove lose bark and possibly use Tree Kote or Tree Wrap to protect the tender
bark. Unfortunately, if they have
created a continuous cut around the trunk it is impossible for the plant to
draw water and nutrients and the plant will not survive.
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