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I keep writing these things down whenever I go to a lecture or take a class and then find them months later and think, "I need a better way of putting this information down for reference." Broke it up into basic categories. Probably more to come once lecture series resumes this spring.
Hamilton College Fall Gardening Lecture + Root Glen Walk
Oct 16 2012
by Terry Hawkridge, Arborist
Trimming/Pruning/Sanitation Notes
Early October is a good time to remove and add new plants while you are sanitizing.
Species-specific pruning notes:
Lilies: prune after they are done blooming
Burning bush: 3 ft prune too high, cut down more
Forsythia: first year growth, cut back to ~6 inches; afterwards prune as normal
Most trees/shrubs grow for 6-8 weeks a year, from May-July. In July they set their buds for next year.
Shrubs: keep at least 1 foot away from walls; electric pruning is fast but hand pruning is more accurate. Don't fertilize between mid July and November.
Hostas: a great time to move Hostas around
Fall Tree pruning plan:
Always undercut to keep branches from ripping:
1. Remove dead wood; diseased branches
2. Remove crossing branches
3. Remove suckers from base
4. Remove "water sprouts" (aggressive new trunk/limb growth)
5. Prune at branch collar
6. If planting trees put the trunk flare AT ground level. Slice up root ball with a knife to keep from root binding. Do not encourage tree funguses by planting or mulching too deep.
7. Add if needed symbiotic rhizomes per correct type of tree.
8. Mulch tree base so it does not have to compete with grasses. More than 3 in. mulch is bad; 2 in. ideal.
Fall evergreen pruning plan:
On evergreens with double headers select one to keep; birds often snap the second one off anyway
Fruit tree Fall pruning plan:
Summer pruning, after July, is best for the tree but fall pruning is more practical.
Fall Sanitation plan:
0. Attack dandelions, bindweed, and ground ivy now--you can spray up to Nov. 1st.
1. cut back perennials in early October to about 6 in. from ground
2. Cut out old or unwanted plants
3. Plant spring bulbs
4. Relocate/divide juveniles
5. rake up leaf litter
6. don't prune woody perennials until spring
7. add soil amendments (compost, or aged manure)
8. treat wood pests; treat for white grubs with an insecticide fertilizer applied with the fall fertilizer
9. add in slow release fertilizers such as bone meal
10. if you want to plant a cover crop like ryegrass, till and plant now
11. Mulch
12. Tag spring transplants now when it is easy to see
13. aerate
14. Overseed damaged areas (perennial rye/bluegrass is a good mix but fescue is more drought resistant). Seed when fall rains come.
15. Drain bird baths
16. Disconnect and drain hoses. Shut down inside supply to hose. Open spigot to make sure pipe is drained.
17. Eradicate rodent dens
18. Put up snow guards if needed with pressure-treated lumber; wrap shrubs. Best to protect plants where snow is blown off roof/drifts.
19. Weatherproof decks/outside furniture
20. Take care of gardening equipment
Gardening equipment fall checklist:
Clean
Sharpen
Drain lube/fuel
Pull batteries
Shrub wrapping:
Wrap shrubs as soon as the temperature drops in October or November.
Use antidessicant like WiltPruf before a frost to help preserve tips of evergreen shrubs and woody stemmed plants; keeps wind from dessicating leaf tissues and keeps deer away from plants such as Rhododendrons
Planting Notes
Arid soils are best for iris and other bulbs
A mix of long and short day plants are best for spring and fall foliage in the garden
Now is a great time to plant spring bulbs!
Color Notes
Purple/blue and yellow are a good combination
Soil Notes
Fall Mulching:
Mulching in the fall keeps the soil warmer; roots continue to grow down to a low of 40 deg. F when mulched.
Types of Mulch:
Bark - attractive, effective; do not incorporate into soil
Wood chips - do not incorporate into soil
Peat moss - incorporate into soil; do not just lay on top to dry out; great for rhododendrons.
Soil & Ph:
Ph scales are logarithmic. In central NY the best soil Ph is around 6.5 range but most sites are about 7.
Peat and pine needles acidify (lower Ph); limestone makes soil more basic (raise Ph).
Change Ph slowly so as not to get root burn on plants.
Garden Soil Mix:
Peatmoss - breaks up clay and adds water
Compost - organic if possible
Sand - should be 50% of mix for drainage; can raise Ph content; coarse or mason sand creates useful draining pockets.
Clay soils:
act like a pot; plant your plant in a larger container in clay-based soil to help the roots spread out.
Composting tips:
Stir pile weekly
Should have 55% water content for correct decomposition
Add materials like wood chips and worms like red wigglers
You can insulate with straw bales for a quick (warm) startup in the spring
Pest Notes
Liquid fence, reapplied every two weeks, stops deer browsing pattern. Large predator scat like bears or lions works too.
Emerald Ash borers, contrary to their name, prefer maple trees.
Watch for Hemlock Wolly Adelgid which can kill evergreen trees/shrubs
Tent caterpillars prefer sugar maples
Crytospara disease looks like a "bleeding canker" on evergreens
Hamilton College Fall Gardening Lecture + Root Glen Walk
Oct 16 2012
by Terry Hawkridge, Arborist
Trimming/Pruning/Sanitation Notes
Early October is a good time to remove and add new plants while you are sanitizing.
Species-specific pruning notes:
Lilies: prune after they are done blooming
Burning bush: 3 ft prune too high, cut down more
Forsythia: first year growth, cut back to ~6 inches; afterwards prune as normal
Most trees/shrubs grow for 6-8 weeks a year, from May-July. In July they set their buds for next year.
Shrubs: keep at least 1 foot away from walls; electric pruning is fast but hand pruning is more accurate. Don't fertilize between mid July and November.
Hostas: a great time to move Hostas around
Fall Tree pruning plan:
Always undercut to keep branches from ripping:
1. Remove dead wood; diseased branches
2. Remove crossing branches
3. Remove suckers from base
4. Remove "water sprouts" (aggressive new trunk/limb growth)
5. Prune at branch collar
6. If planting trees put the trunk flare AT ground level. Slice up root ball with a knife to keep from root binding. Do not encourage tree funguses by planting or mulching too deep.
7. Add if needed symbiotic rhizomes per correct type of tree.
8. Mulch tree base so it does not have to compete with grasses. More than 3 in. mulch is bad; 2 in. ideal.
Fall evergreen pruning plan:
On evergreens with double headers select one to keep; birds often snap the second one off anyway
Fruit tree Fall pruning plan:
Summer pruning, after July, is best for the tree but fall pruning is more practical.
Fall Sanitation plan:
0. Attack dandelions, bindweed, and ground ivy now--you can spray up to Nov. 1st.
1. cut back perennials in early October to about 6 in. from ground
2. Cut out old or unwanted plants
3. Plant spring bulbs
4. Relocate/divide juveniles
5. rake up leaf litter
6. don't prune woody perennials until spring
7. add soil amendments (compost, or aged manure)
8. treat wood pests; treat for white grubs with an insecticide fertilizer applied with the fall fertilizer
9. add in slow release fertilizers such as bone meal
10. if you want to plant a cover crop like ryegrass, till and plant now
11. Mulch
12. Tag spring transplants now when it is easy to see
13. aerate
14. Overseed damaged areas (perennial rye/bluegrass is a good mix but fescue is more drought resistant). Seed when fall rains come.
15. Drain bird baths
16. Disconnect and drain hoses. Shut down inside supply to hose. Open spigot to make sure pipe is drained.
17. Eradicate rodent dens
18. Put up snow guards if needed with pressure-treated lumber; wrap shrubs. Best to protect plants where snow is blown off roof/drifts.
19. Weatherproof decks/outside furniture
20. Take care of gardening equipment
Gardening equipment fall checklist:
Clean
Sharpen
Drain lube/fuel
Pull batteries
Shrub wrapping:
Wrap shrubs as soon as the temperature drops in October or November.
Use antidessicant like WiltPruf before a frost to help preserve tips of evergreen shrubs and woody stemmed plants; keeps wind from dessicating leaf tissues and keeps deer away from plants such as Rhododendrons
Planting Notes
Arid soils are best for iris and other bulbs
A mix of long and short day plants are best for spring and fall foliage in the garden
Now is a great time to plant spring bulbs!
Color Notes
Purple/blue and yellow are a good combination
Soil Notes
Fall Mulching:
Mulching in the fall keeps the soil warmer; roots continue to grow down to a low of 40 deg. F when mulched.
Types of Mulch:
Bark - attractive, effective; do not incorporate into soil
Wood chips - do not incorporate into soil
Peat moss - incorporate into soil; do not just lay on top to dry out; great for rhododendrons.
Soil & Ph:
Ph scales are logarithmic. In central NY the best soil Ph is around 6.5 range but most sites are about 7.
Peat and pine needles acidify (lower Ph); limestone makes soil more basic (raise Ph).
Change Ph slowly so as not to get root burn on plants.
Garden Soil Mix:
Peatmoss - breaks up clay and adds water
Compost - organic if possible
Sand - should be 50% of mix for drainage; can raise Ph content; coarse or mason sand creates useful draining pockets.
Clay soils:
act like a pot; plant your plant in a larger container in clay-based soil to help the roots spread out.
Composting tips:
Stir pile weekly
Should have 55% water content for correct decomposition
Add materials like wood chips and worms like red wigglers
You can insulate with straw bales for a quick (warm) startup in the spring
Pest Notes
Liquid fence, reapplied every two weeks, stops deer browsing pattern. Large predator scat like bears or lions works too.
Emerald Ash borers, contrary to their name, prefer maple trees.
Watch for Hemlock Wolly Adelgid which can kill evergreen trees/shrubs
Tent caterpillars prefer sugar maples
Crytospara disease looks like a "bleeding canker" on evergreens
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