chores

Spring is almost here - ready or not. And this is the last call for many winter garden jobs. Try to do these chores as soon as possible, before your plants really start growing.
 
    Photo: Tea Scale

Control scale insects on branches of shrubs and trees with a dormant oil spray.

As the nights become cooler and the days get shorter, it is time for fall garden activities. Although our prime gardening season is over, many fall chores remain in preparation for next year’s gardening season.
 
Creating a checklist of chores to do now in the garden and yard is important. This way you won’t forget to complete important fall chores and cleanup jobs before the arrival of winter weather.

The bleak, blustery days of winter often give us the feeling we should be working inside instead of attending to our landscapes. On the really cold days, this certainly makes sense; but there are actually a number of important tasks that should be done now to prepare our landscapes for the coming spring flush.
 

Pruning
Begin now to prune shrubs and trees (including fruit trees) to shape them and remove dead wood.

The summer heat makes it difficult to work outside for long. But some chores in your landscape need to be addressed to keep your plants attractive and healthy.

Probably the most critical detail right now is the effect of this summer's recent record heat.