Download April Garden Chores

Lawn and Garden News You Can Use
April 2010
April Garden Chores
Martha Smith, horticulture educator
There are several things that can be done in the lawn and
garden now. Plant material is starting to come out of winter
dormancy. Inspect your property for any winter damage caused
by heavy snows or high winds. Prune out any damaged wood
or weak limbs because these can be potentially dangerous.
Remove crossing limbs that rub against one another. Prune back summer-flowering
shrubs such as ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea, Butterfly Bush, Rose-of-Sharon, Spirea, and
Potentilla. Don’t prune early bloomers such as Lilac, Forsythia, or Weigelia.
Shelby County
1125 W N 2nd Street
Shelbyville, IL 62565
Jim Looft
County Director
Ellen Trainor
Program Coordinator
[email protected]
Tel: 217-774-9546
Fax: 217-774-9549
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.extension.uiuc.edu/shelby
Clean up your garden beds. Rake out any leaves that may have collected over the winter.
Leaves often will matt down and cause soils to remain too moist this time of year. Put
them aside to be used in your compost during the summer months. Remove what’s left of
last year’s annuals. In your perennial bed, start cutting back ornamental grasses and
herbaceous plant material in anticipation of new growth. Do any of your perennials need
to be divided? As you are cleaning out beds, evaluate how the plants grew last year. If
they were crowding other plants or just not performing as they have in the past, then
April is a great time to divide them. Start to remove any plastic coverings, such as rose
cones, as the days warm in the coming weeks.
Remove any tree wrap that protected trees from mice and vole damage during the winter.
If you plan on following a spray program for your fruit trees, apply products according to
the recommended schedules in the Home, Yard & Garden Pest Guide which is available
through your local University of Illinois Extension office. Fruit trees often need a
dormant spray, and now is the time to apply it. Read and follow label directions, and do
not spray until temperatures remain above 45° F.
Check any stored dahlias tubers, gladiolus corms, and other winter-tender bulbs. If they
are beginning to sprout, you can plant them in containers for forcing or place them in a
cooler location for later planting. If they are beginning to shrivel or dry out, put them in a
ventilated plastic bag. If mold has developed, discard moldy tubers or corms and move
the rest to a drier, more ventilated location.
Clean out your clay pots and decorative containers with a mild soap solution or mild
bleach solution (1 part chlorine bleach to 9 parts water) to prevent any disease problems
this year. Thoroughly rinse them with clean water and let them air dry.
Early weather crops such as potatoes, peas, lettuce, spinach, and oriental greens can be
planted as soon as the ground can be worked and danger of hard freezing is past. If you
did not mulch your vegetable garden, cover bare uncultivated soil with clear plastic
several weeks before planting time to help warm the soil. If you did mulch, push aside
the mulch where you plan on seeding and let the sun warm the soil.
Plant a Winner this Year
David Robson, horticulture educator
The 2010 All America Selection Winners
list includes ten plants. Here’s a brief
rundown on the winners.
Shiny Boy watermelon matures within
75 days with red flesh and black seeds. It
can tip the scale at 20 pounds, so it needs
plenty of room to grow.
'Cajun Belle' is a sweet hot pepper, but
like a typical bell pepper, turns red as
it matures.
Double Zahara Cherry Zinnia, with red
blooms, and Double Zahara Fire Zinnia,
orange to orange-red blooms, both produce
flowers with multiple, or double, rows of
petals. Flowers are about 2½ inches wide
on 12- to 15-inch plants.
Starlight Rose Zinnia is a bi-color with
white petals and rose-colored centers. It is
about the same size as the other zinnias.
A viola also made the list of winners—
Endurio Sky Blue Martien. It is a ¾-inch
blue flower with tinges of purple on the
outer petals.
Moonsong Deep Orange, a marigold, has
2- to 4-inch flowers and fully doubled
petals. This plant reaches 12 to 15 inches
tall and about the same spread.
Twinny Peach snapdragon is a bedding
plant that is a double -flowered form. It has
pinkish flowers with hints of yellow and
orange. It grows to 12 inches in height.
Gaillardia Mesa Yellow is an annual that
is pure yellow. It is a more compact plant
than most gaillardias, but pinching is still
needed to prevent it from flopping over. It
tops out at 18 to 20 inches. One downside
is that it may take four months to bloom, so
you’ll need to start seeds early if you want
plants throughout the summer.
The first Echinacea, or coneflower, to win
is Pow Wow Wild Berry. It has a deep
purple flower, darker than traditional coneflowers but with the same orange center.
Flowers are 3 to 4 inches across. This plant
branches at the base, which makes more
flowering stems and a shorter, compact
plant that reaches 2 feet in height with a
spread of 12 inches. It can take four to five
months for this plant to reach blooming.
You’ll find AAS winners in seed catalogs,
on the internet, and at many garden centers
and nurseries. Give one of them a try!
UNIVERSITY O F ILLINOIS NONDISCRIMINATION S TATEMENT
The commitment of the University of Illinois to the most fundamental principles of academic freedom, equality of
opportunity, and human dignity requires that decisions involving students and employees be based on merit and be free
from invidious discrimination in all its forms.
The University of Illinois will not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation including gender identity,
unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran and will comply with all federal and state
nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders and regulations. This nondiscrimination policy
applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in the University programs and activities.
University complaint and grievance procedures provide employees and students with the means for the resolution of
complaints that allege a violation of this Statement. Members of the public should direct their inquiries or complaints to
the appropriate equal opportunity office. For additional information or assistance on the equal opportunity, affirmative
action and harassment policies of the University, please contact:
William E. Berry, Associate Chancellor, 317 Swanlund Administration Building, MC-304, 601 East John Street,
Champaign, Illinois 61820 -5796, (217) 333-6394, [email protected].; Larine Y. Cowan, Assistant Chancellor and
Director of Equal Opportunity and Access (Title IX, ADA and 504 Coordinator), 100A Swanlund Administration
Building, MC-304, 601 East John Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820 -5796, (217) 333-0885, [email protected].
For the University Administration, Sharon Reynolds, Interim Director of Human Relations and University Equal
Opportunity (Title IX, ADA and 504 Coordinator), 807 South Wright Street, Suite 440, MC-312, Champaign, Illinois
61820 -6219, (217) 333-7925, [email protected].
The Green Thumb —2
Policy Council, Revised May 31, 2005
Arbor Day: A Reminder to
Preserve and Plant Trees
Tony Bratsch, horticulture educator
Arbor Day is celebrated on various dates in
each state due to differences in climate. In
1970, President Richard Nixon designated
“National Arbor Day” as the last Friday in
April. Illinois also celebrates its state
Arbor Day on the last Friday in April, this
year on April 30.
Arbor Day is most noted as a day to raise
awareness of and plant trees where they are
needed. It also is an excellent opportunity
to take stock of trees already growing on
your property. After the winter and spring
storms, inspect your trees for broken or
dead limbs, rubbing and crossing limbs,
power line interference, and any obvious
disease or insect infestations. Damaged
limbs should be pruned now, but save any
major re-shaping tasks until next winter.
Electric companies should always be
contacted for trimming limbs and branches
near power lines.
Trees are the most permanent plants we
grow and are a long-term property
investment. They bring both individual and
collective beauty to the landscape. Care
should be taken in species/variety selection
and how they are placed in the landscape.
Well-placed trees provide both landscape
framing and background to homes, as well
as privacy, shade, and wind protection,
which reduces home energy consumption.
Mature size and distance from homes and
utility lines is a major consideration when
deciding where to plant a new tree.
For ideas on tree selection, start with
your local nursery to see a wide range of
species. Take a walk and check out trees
planted in parks and in the community.
Trees can be evergreen or deciduous and
can greatly vary in size and form.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the
fall and vary in spring bloom, fall color,
and fruit retention. Growth rates can range
from slow to fast, and some trees, though
beautiful, may be prone to limb breakage,
diseases, and insects. Hardy and durable
species should be selected in our
high-wind, ice-prone state. Avoid trees that
break easily under stress, such as Siberian
elm, soft maple, and Bradford pear. Oak,
hard maple, and bald cypress are examples
of more durable trees.
There are many good evergreen, shade,
and flowering trees to choose from. Check
out the University of Illinois Extension
website, Selecting Trees for Your Home :
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/treeselector/.
You can also visit your local U of I
Extension office for assistance.
Send your lawn and
garden questions to
The Green Thumb
c/o Annette Campbell
U of I Extension
1212 Route 14 West
Benton, IL 62812
E-mail:
[email protected]
Trees are an investment in both your
property value and in the future. Make
good choices in species and planting
locations. New trees provide many years of
enjoyment and energy savings. And, they
are a true gift for future generations. Make
this Arbor Day a tradition for tree planting
for your home and family.
From Page 4
Look for trees with straight trunks and even branching. Check the trunk for signs of
recent damage. Old wounds will be healed over, whereas new wounds will be ragged.
Avoid trees with two leaders or those in which the central leader has been destroyed. If
the trunk is wrapped, look underneath for damage.
Do your homework and learn all you can about the plant’s growth habit and needs. Ask
questions. Most garden centers and nurseries have qualified employees who are happy to
help you choose the best plant for your landscape.
The Green Thumb —3
Shelby County
1125 W N 2nd Street
Shelbyville, IL 62565
We’re on the Web!
www.extension.uiuc.edu/shelby
Helping You Put Knowledge to Work
The information in this newsletter is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products and trade names do not
constitute endorsement by the University of Illinois and do not imply discrimination against other similar products that are not listed.
University of Illinois ~ U.S. Department of Agriculture ~ Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
If you need special dietary or disability accommodations to participate in any programs listed in this newsletter, please contact your local U of I Extension office.
Invest in Quality Plants
Martha Smith, horticulture educator
Investing in quality plantings is the first
step in assuring long-term satisfaction with
your landscape. Take the time to really
look at the plants you are considering
buying. Examine both the top and the roots.
Today, most landscape plants are grown in
containers. In many respects, this is better
for you and for the grower. Container
growing is more manageable for the
grower and offers you easy-to-plant sizes.
That being said, there are still things to
check before buying. Because of the rapid
growth and finite soil volume inside
containers, plants can easily become rootbound. If plants fail to grow out of this
circular pattern once you’ve put them in
your landscape, they may become stunted
and eventually die.
Knock the plant out of the pot. You should
be able to see solid soil particles between
the roots. If you are unable to see this, the
root ball is indeed pot-bound. You may
also encounter the opposite problem—not
enough roots. A grower may sell the plant
before its roots have had a chance to
become fully established in the container.
This is not often the case, but check just to
make sure. Roots should be white to buff
brown, and fully turgid (not shrunken).
Dark brown or black roots that lack luster
and appear shrunken indicate a plant’s
poor health.
Shrubs should have a full and healthylooking head, with low branching. Avoid
tall, leggy plants. This doesn’t necessarily
indicate poor health, but rather poor
growing conditions. Realize these plants
may need more attention the first one or
two growing seasons.
Continued on Page 3