MAINTENANCE GUIDE FOR CURRENT E. G. RALL JR. CUSTOMERS
What you can do to ensure that your property stays beautiful year-round.
Watering- Every 2nd day for freshly planted, young groundcovers like Vinca, Pachysandra, or English Ivy.
- Once weekly for shrubbery installed during the Spring or Fall months. During periods of excessive summer heat or drought, 2 or 3 weekly watering may be necessary.
- A thorough watering should moisten the soil beneath the mulch without saturating it. It is possible to overwater plantings to the point where they can drown.
- Best times for watering are early morning, and very late afternoon/early evening.
- Curling of Rhododendron foliage or wilting of azaleas is an indication of a water problem - either too little or too much. Dig into the soil to check moisture level by hand and adjust accordingly. Note: It is normal for Rhododendron foliage to curl during periods of extreme winter temperature.
Fertilizing- An annual application of Hollytone or 10-6-4 fertilizer applied as per manufacturer's instructions is recommended for all plantings in early spring. Perennial materials (Liriope, Daylily, Sedum, etc.) should not be fertilized until new foliage appears above the ground. Fertilize by lightly raking or scratching fertilizer into the soil around the plant's root ball, cover with mulch, and water in thoroughly.
- Massed groundcover plantings can be fertilized by hand broadcasting the fertilizer into the beds, and watering in.
- No fertilization should be made between July 15th and October 30th.
- Any Autumn fertilization should be made at one-half the manufacturer's normal application rate.
Pruning- Prune selectively to maintain the shape of a plant with hand pruners, not hedging shears. When selectively pruning, cuts just above a branch crotch or dormant bud. Pruning at these points will stimulate new vegetative growth just below the cuts.
- Prune any crossing or rubbing branches out of trees, as the rubbing of branches against branches could damage the bark, and leave the plant vulnerable to insect or disease attack.
- Rhododendrons and azaleas can be pruned up to about three weeks after they have finished flowering. These plants set flower buds after this time, so a late summer pruning could remove most of next year’s flower buds.
- Small, suckering stems and branches should be pruned from the bottom three feet of multi-stem trunked plants.
- Foliage should be removed from perennials after die back. Cut and remove this dead foliage to the ground. Daylily, Liriope, Sedum and all foliage from ornamental grasses should be allowed to remain through the winter month. All foliage should then be cut back to the ground in early spring by late March before the plants start to push their new growth.
- Spring-flowering deciduous shrubs can be pruned to shape after they have flowered. Summer flowering deciduous shrubs should be pruned before March 30th. This type plant flowers on new growth, so it is best to remove 1/3 of the oldest stems every two or three years. They can be lightly shaped anytime through the course of the year to maintain a neat appearance.
- RULE OF THUMB for all plantings: If it flowers before June 1st, prune immediately after flowering. If it flowers after June 1st, prune between November 1st and March 30th.
- Evergreen plant material (Yews, Junipers, Hollies, Euonymous) can be pruned anytime during spring or summer months prior to July 15th as needed.
Miscellaneous- Mulch is an organic material and does decompose over a period of time. We suggest remulching beds every two years. Mulching beds minimizes weed growth, and helps retain soil moisture around all plants and groundcovers.
- Spot weed control can be accomplished with a spray solution of Roundup herbicide in a hand sprayer. This chemical is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will kill any plant material it comes in contact with, so extreme care should be used when applying it. All herbicides should be applied according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Many perennials (Daylily, Liriope, Hosta, Astilbe) benefit by division every three or four years. This division process keeps the plants thriving. The best time to divide the perennials is the opposite season they bloom. Plants can be divided by a hand spade and replanted elsewhere.
Insect and Disease Problems - Insect and disease problems are too numerous to cover in a guide this brief. If you see a plant struggling, or if it has some ailment which you cannot identify, bring a piece of the affected plant to our landscape center for identification or call us and we will come to your site to inspect the plant.
Serving Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania.
Phone: 610•239•7460 Fax: 610•239•7459
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