Plant bare root, balled and burlapped, balled and potted, and container grown ornamental landscape plants. Bare root plants should be dormant. Spring has become a traditional time for planting because environmental conditions favor planting. Soil and air temperatures should be above freezing. Plants adapt readily to the intensity of spring sunlight and are less likely to be stressed by dry weather.
Dig plants that were root pruned in the fall. Deciduous plants may be moved bare root before bud break but broadleaf and narrowleaf evergreens should be moved balled and burlapped or balled and potted. Moving may be done whenever the soil and air temperatures are above freezing.
Thin and rejuvenate overgrown or unhealthy deciduous plants to direct and control new growth.
Fertilizer may be broadcast around ornamental landscape plants as the ground begins to thaw.
Irrigate newly planted, actively growing ornamentals any time there is less than 1 inch of weekly rainfall. Apply water at the rate of 1 quart per square foot of planting area on poorly drained soils. On well drained soils, use a half-gallon of water per square foot. Newly planted ornamentals not yet actively growing can be injured by overwatering.
For newly planted ornamentals, you may apply a pre- emergence herbicide before spreading a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch over the soil in the bed or around trees. Level winter mulch berms and use the excess to thicken thin spots in beds and around trees for a summer mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weed seed germination. Rodent tree trunk guards, rose cones and fabric wind screens around evergreens should be removed when freezing temperatures are no longer a threat.
Warning! Not all formulations of all recommended pesticides are labeled for all suggested uses. Buy formulations that are labeled for the specific pest problem. Follow all pesticide label directions and precautions.
When a particular pest becomes active depends on the weather conditions in your area. The pest management guide gives general guidelines for a broad geographic area. Depending on your location, a particular pest may appear early or late within the month(s) in which the pest is listed.
Pest Common Hosts Controls ------------------------------------------------------------ Insects adelgids spruce Dursban, malathion, Sevin
aphids most ornamentals Diazinon, Orthene, malathion, Sevin, superior oil,
leaf miners arborvitae, birch, Diazinon, hawthorn holly, Orthene, Sevin spruce
mealybugs taxus malathion, Orthene, superior oil
scales ash, euonymus, fruit Orthene, trees, hackberry, malathion, Sevin, hawthorn, hemlock, superior oil juniper, lilac, linden, maple, mountain ash, oak, pachysandra, pine, poplar, rose, spruce, willow
tent caterpillars crabapple, flowering Orthene, Sevin and wild cherry, fruit trees
Diseases anthracnose ash, maple, oak, Benlate sycamore
black knot fruiting and none ornamental plum
Botrytis blight rose Benlate
canker and rot most ornamentals Prune out infected plant parts.
crown gall euonymus, rose Destroy infected plants.
fire blight cotoneaster, Prune out crab apple fruit infected plant trees, hawthorn, parts. mountain ash, pyracantha
leaf spot most ornamentals fixed copper
powdery mildew most ornamentals Benlate, sulfur
scab crabapple, fruit Benlate trees mountain ash, pyracantha
twig blight juniper Benlate
wetwood elm, maple no effective chemical or cultural control