Gardening starting up in warm weather
When we have warm weather, my phone starts ringing with the typical questions for this time of year.
People want to know if they can prune various plants. Actually spring time is a good time to prune some plants, like fruit trees, deciduous trees and shrubs, before they start to grow again.
Pruning is different from trimming. Trimming is the removal of the ends of branches to help thicken or improve the shape of a plant. Pruning can be either light, heavy or somewhere in between.
Light pruning is the removal of a few problem branches that may smack you in the face or long branches protruding from a plant. Removal of storm damaged branches is included. These types of light pruning can be done anytime it's needed.
Examples of heavy pruning may be the removal of many large branches, the thinning out of a tree's canopy or rejuvenation pruning of an overgrown shrub. This type of pruning is best done in early spring or when the plant is in winter dormancy.
Did you know that flowering woody plants are classified as either spring flowering or summer/fall blooming? Those that flower before June are considered spring flowering.
Their blossoms are produced on wood that matured in the previous year. Pruning them in the spring will reduce flowering. If flower display is not important, then it will not harm the plant to be pruned now.
Woody plants that bloom from July into the fall flower on the new wood produced in the current year. Their flower display can actually be improved with spring pruning.
Now is the time to survey your landscape for branches broken by winter weather. Remember to be safe and leave risky tree pruning to professional certified arborists.
Correct pruning is one of the most necessary but least understood of all common garden practices.
To remove all dead, diseased, or broken branches.
To reduce the size of plants when they become overgrown.
To thin out trees and shrubs.
To remove dead flowers and seed pods.
To rejuvenate a declining shrub.
To make young shrubs more bushy.
To develop a special form as in hedges, espalier or topiary work.
For more detailed information on these types of pruning go to extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/EB150.pdf
W.Va. small farm conference set
MORGANTOWN - The 2012 WV Small Farm Conference is scheduled for March 1 through 3, at the Waterfront Place Hotel and Conference Center in Morgantown. This year's event features various topics and daylong workshops.
For more information and a registration form, visit smallfarmcenter.ext.wvu.edu/conference.
Annual tree sale planned locally
MARTINSBURG - The Eastern Panhandle Conservation District is offering conifers, hardwoods, wildlife habitat, small fruits and dwarf fruit trees as part of their annual tree sale.
For more information on the products available through the sale, visit www.wvca.us/districts/?page=epcd or contact them at 304-264-4376. Deadline to order is until March 2.
Forum for Rural Innovation on tap
WINCHESTER - The 8th annual Forum for Rural Innovation will be held Friday, March 9 at the Best Western Lee-Jackson Motor Inn and Conference Center in Winchester, Va.
The purpose of the forum is to showcase innovative ideas, projects and programs to enhance farm or rural business profitability in northwestern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
The theme for this year's Forum is "Direct Marketing Beyond the Traditional Farmers Markets."
A registration fee of $40 per person will include the forum program, morning refreshments and the buffet lunch featuring local foods. Registration information is available online at www.loudounfarms.org or by calling 703-777-0426. Pre-registration by March 1 is required.
The Forum for Rural Innovation is a cooperative educational effort organized and led by the offices of Agricultural Economic Development and Cooperative Extension in Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick and Loudoun counties of Virginia; Berkeley and Jefferson counties, West Virginia; Potomac Headwaters RC&D; and The Small Business Development Center of the Eastern Panhandle.
Gardening 101 Program offered
MARTINSBURG - The Berkeley-Jefferson Extension Master Gardeners will hold a Gardening 101 Workshop for beginning gardeners on Saturday, March 242 from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center locate at 67 Apple Harvest Lane (off of old Route 9) in Kearneysville. Registration will be $5 (collected at the door), and the workshop is limited to 55 participants. Please use the registration form found at www.berkeleyextension.com to reserve a space for the program.
For more information see the brochure on the Agriculture/Gardening section of the website or call 304-264-1936. Pre-registration deadline is March 14.
2012 Ag Ed dinner meeting announced
MARTINSBURG - Our speaker for the evening of March 8 will be Matt Poore, speaking about nutrition and rotational grazing.
The March 8 Agricultural Education Dinner Meeting will be held at the Berkeley County Youth Fair at 6:30 p.m.
Please make a reservation to attend the dinner meeting by calling Mary Beth Bennett at 304-264-1936 by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 29 if you plan to attend the meeting on Thursday, March.
Hope to see you there!
Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees
Deciduous trees and shrubs
Seed kohlrabi (indoors)