Love Your Shrubs
Taking good care of your shrubs is not a particularly onerous task, but it does take a little bit of time. The most important step in loving your shrubs is to occasionally walk through your yard and take a close look at them. Doing so will allow you to assess their health and and beauty. Well-cared for shrubs live long and happy lives beautifying your yard each and every day…not to mention the important role that they play in building a natural habitat for wildlife. And don’t hesitate to talk to your plants—it won’t really do much for them, but it will do wonders for you!
As you walk through your yard, examine each shrub for signs of fungus, disease, insect infestation, damage due to rodents, wind, and sun. If you find a problem, come see us for expert advice in treating the problem. Make sure that that all your shrubs and trees are getting sufficient water, and periodically check to make sure your watering system is intact Fertilize all your outdoor plants in the spring and fall. Prune them when needed to help them keep their shape. After a snowfall, especially if the snow is wet and heavy, brush snow off of limbs to prevent breakage.
Remember that buying a shrub involves more than simply throwing it in a hole somewhere in your yard and watering it occasionally. Sure, the shrub may survive, but it will likely live far below its potential for growth, beauty, and longevity.
Inspect Your Shrubs
Shrubs can suffer from insect and disease problems just about anytime during the growing season and they can suffer from wind, water loss, and sun issues throughout the year. Thus, it is always a good idea to walk through your yard and inspect your shrubs (and trees) for damage caused by these sources. If you’re not sure if there is a problem or what to do about a problem you find, drop by and see us, and we’ll help you figure things out.
Check Your Drip System
If you have a drip system, periodically inspect it for damage or other problems. Sometimes deer step on the tubing, causing it to crack and leak. Sometimes rodents will gnaw away at it and cause leaking. And sometimes the emitters and small spaghetti lines become clogged. Don’t wait until your shrubs (and trees) show signs of stress to check your drip system—by that time it may be too late to save your plants! Right: Installing a coupling in a cracked dripline.
Fertilize
Make sure to fertilize your shrubs (and trees) twice a year—once in late April (after the ground thaws) to help stimulate root, leaf, and bloom development and then again in mid to late September (as the aspens begin to turn), to encourage root growth prior to winter. Make sure to spread your fertilizer around the entire shrub ( 360 degrees underneath the branches).
Prune
Pruning serves two important functions. The first is to keep the shrub looking its best in terms of its shape and to encourage new growth. In most cases, this kind of pruning should be undertaken in late winter or early spring, but before new growth begins to emerge. The second is to remove unwanted, dead, diseased, and damaged branches and limbs—which can be done any time.
Winter Care
As amazing as it sounds, shrubs (and trees) need attention during the winter months, particularly in terms of watering. Our winters are especially rough on needled shrubs (conifers) because the wind and sun tend to dry out their needles. Thus you should water your shrubs (and trees) once every 2-3 weeks when the temperature is above 40 degrees. Try to water earlier in the day so that the soil’s surface will not freeze soon after the sun goes down.
Come See Us!
Please drop by Brady’s West if you have any questions at all about how to take care of your shrubs or if you have any questions about their health. We are here not only to sell shrubs (and lots of other things) but, just as importantly, to help make sure that your shrubs live long and happy lives in your yard.