wff-caringforyourplants

© 2008 White Flower Farm, Litchfield, Connecticut 06759-0050

Caring for Your PlantsIt’s often said that a person who grows plants withease has a green thumb. William B. Harris, the co-founder of White Flower Farm, believed this old say-ing had the color wrong. Success with plants, hewrote, “comes from working with plants, from exper-imenting, personally, with their needs. It follows, Ithink, that a green thumb is a dirty thumb.” If youhesitate, for lack of instruction, to get your thumbsdirty, or your past efforts have met with frustration,this brochure may be of help. It provides basic guid-ance on meeting the needs of your plants, gettingthem off to a good start, and tending them as theygrow in your garden.

MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUR PLANTS

Most plants are eager to grow. They, or their fore-bears, have survived millennia in the wild, persever-ing despite brutal competition, and they will thrive inyour garden, so long as conditions suit them. Plantscan’t adapt to circumstances that differ widely fromthose in their native regions; they can’t forget wherethey came from. So when you’re considering a plantfor your garden, begin by determining its needs andwhether your garden provides for those needs. Talk togardening friends, consult books, and peruse cata-logues to learn all you can about where a plant isnative and what growing conditions it requires. Thecrucial factors are sunlight and soil.

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The lines drawn between these categories are notprecise. Many plants thrive in a range of light condi-tions. Campanulas and Daylilies, for example, grow aswell in partial shade as they do in full sun. Otherplants, such as Astilbes and Thalictrums, require par-tial shade in average garden soil but grow in full sunif the soil is damp. There are also plants whose needfor light varies with the climate in which they aregrown. Aquilegias (Columbines) tolerate full sun herein Litchfield but prefer partial shade in the South.Part of the fun of gardening is trying new plants andtrying them in new locations. They can always bemoved if their first home isn’t to their liking.

Gardeners faced with a shady property oftenthrow up their hands in despair, devastated by theirinability to grow plants that require sun all day. Whileit’s true that the majority of plants want a fair meas-ure of direct sun to grow and bloom, the number ofshade-lovers, from Hostas and Ferns to Pulmonariasand Tiarellas, is larger than you might think. You canmake a garden of rare beauty despite a leafy canopy ifyou seek out the plants that thrive in shade.

Soil

Soil serves as an anchor for roots and as a reservoir forthe moisture and nutrients plants require to grow. Wetend to take soil for granted, but for a plant, the typeof soil—from heavy wet clay to bone dry sand—andits acidity or alkalinity govern whether the plant willprosper or languish. Before choosing plants for yourgarden, take time to learn more about your soil. It ispossible to amend or improve your soil to somedegree (see “Preparing soil for planting” on page 6),but fundamental change requires a substantial invest-ment of time, energy, and often money. It’s best tostart by choosing plants adapted to your native soil.

Sunlight

All plants require light to grow, but they vary in theamount they need. Some want to bake in direct sunall day. A few prefer deep woodland shade. Many per-form well somewhere in between. In catalogue andbook descriptions, the range of light is often brokendown into three basic categories: full sun, partialshade (or partial sun), and shade (see the drawingsbelow). Full sun is generally defined as six hours ormore of direct sunlight between the hours of 9:00 and4:00, when the light intensity is greatest. Partial shademeans three to four hours of direct sun with shade,cast by a building or by trees, for the remainder of theday. Shade is described as bright reflected light but lit-tle or no direct sun. Please note that shade should notbe confused with darkness. The gloom cast by sprucesand other conifers is off the charts; note the absenceeven of weeds in such dense shade.

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FULL SUNSix hours or more of directsun each day between 9:00and 4:00.

PARTIAL SHADEDirect sun for 3–4 hoursand shade the rest of the day.

SHADEBright reflected light but little or no direct sun.

Three Types of Light

Soil is composed of mineral particles of varioussizes and in varying proportions. For most gardenplants, the ideal soil is an even blend of large particles(sand), mid-size particles (silt), and small particles(clay). Such a well-balanced soil holds moisture rea-sonably well between rains or waterings but allowsthe excess to drain away freely (the roots of mostplants cannot survive in constantly wet soil). Soils fre-quently lean to one extreme or the other. Sandy soilsdrain well but dry out very quickly and are often lowin nutrients. Clay soils tend to be rich in nutrients,but they retain water, suffocating the roots of plantsthat aren’t adapted to heavy soils. Happily, there areplants that tolerate or even prefer dry or damp soils.

The other property of soil that affects plantgrowth is its acidity or alkalinity, which is measuredon the pH scale (see the drawing on the facing page).The pH scale runs from 1 to 14. Seven is neutral. Asoil with a pH of less than 7 is acid, and the smallerthe number the more acid the soil is (5 is more acidthan 6). A soil with a pH of more than 7 is alkaline,and the larger the number the more alkaline the soilis (9 is more alkaline than 8). Like the Richter scale forearthquakes, the pH scale is logarithmic, whichmeans that there is a huge difference between num-bers—6 is ten times more acid than 7, and 5 is 100times more acid than 7. Most garden plants grow bestin soils with a neutral to slightly acid pH but toleratewider extremes.

Soil pH

Soil pH is important because it controls the availabil-ity of nutrients required for growth. An “acid-loving”plant is unable to take up the nutrients it needs—even if those nutrients are available in abundance—if

NEUTRAL

Common range ofsoil pH in regions

of high rainfall

Common range ofsoil pH in arid regions

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ACID

Suitable rangefor acid-loving

plants

Suitable rangefor most gar-

den plants

StronglyAcid

ModeratelyAcid

SlightlyAcid

SlightlyAlkaline

ModeratelyAlkaline

StronglyAlkaline

ALKALINE

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the pH of the soil is alkaline (or insufficiently acid).The converse is true for a “lime-loving” plant growingin acid soil. Both plants will appear stunted, and theirleaves may yellow. In this weakened condition, theyare more likely to fall prey to environmental stressessuch as cold, drought, or pests.

You can’t tell the pH of your soil by looking at it,and without some practice you may not be able to tellwhether it’s sandy or mostly clay by touching it, sohow do you find out what sort of soil you’ve got? Theanswer is to have your soil tested. In most states, theCooperative Extension Service—see the governmentpages of your telephone book under county offices orunder the state departments of education or agricul-ture—offers soil test kits for a modest fee. A soil testwill reveal the type of soil that you have and its pH,and give prescriptions for raising the pH of acid soil(by adding lime) or lowering the pH of soil that is too


which will have puffed up above the level of the sur-rounding, unprepared soil. You’ll be sweaty and dirtywhen you’re done, but the reward—healthy, vigorousplants—is worth all the effort.

Gardening books often recommend the arduouspractice of double digging flower gardens—turning

soil to a depth twice the length of a shovel blade. Mostgardeners get good results digging down just oneshovel’s depth. Unless your soil requires extensiverehabilitation, you probably will, too.

alkaline (by adding sulfur). A soil test also shows thelevels of key plant nutrients and provides recommen-dations for remedying deficiencies.

Preparing soil for planting

The roots of most plants grow best in soil that is lightand porous, but the soil most of us inherit with ourproperty is neither. Instead, it is hard and dense,packed down by construction machinery, lawnmower wheels, and countless games of tag and touchfootball. Chiseled into such compacted soil, an infantplant struggles to survive, let alone grow and bloom.To make soil more hospitable for garden plants, youmust dig and turn it, breaking up the big clods to cre-ate a loose and fluffy meringue.

Digging a bed is also the perfect opportunity toamend or improve soil. No matter what type of soilyou have, it will benefit from the addition of organicmatter, in the form of compost, leafmold, peat moss,or aged (not fresh) manure. Organic matter increasesthe water-holding capacity of sandy soil and improvesdrainage in a heavy clay soil. It also nourishes wormsand the microscopic flora and fauna that live in thesoil and help make plant growth possible.

To prepare a garden for planting, begin by clear-ing the area of unwanted plants such as weeds or turf.Spread a three- to six-inch layer of organic matterover the garden. Then sprinkle lime or sulfur and fer-tilizer, as recommended by a soil test, on top. Start inone corner and begin turning the soil with a shovel orspade (if you’re preparing a large area, consider rent-ing a rototiller). Work your way backwards (to avoidstepping in the soil you’ve already turned and com-pacting it again), methodically mixing the amend-ments and fertilizer into soil. When you’ve finisheddigging, use a rigid steel rake to smooth the soil,


PREPARING SOILFOR PLANTINGSpread a 3–4 in.layer of organic matterover the area to be prepared. Turn theorganic matter into the soil to the depth of a shovel blade—approximately 10–12 in.

Organicmatter

3-4in{

Unimproved Soil

10-12in

planting—see the label that accompanies your plant.)Place the roots in the planting hole and arrange themlike the spokes of a wheel or in whatever fashionappears natural (see drawing below). Holding thecrown of the plant with one hand, push soil into thehole with the other, working soil around the roots toprevent the formation of air pockets. Then firm thesoil around the crown, pressing down with bothhands. Finally, water thoroughly—even if rain threat-ens—to settle the soil.

It’s not always easy to tell which end of a barerootplant is up. In their dormant state, some plants—Ferns and Liatris are good examples—may lack obvi-ous roots. Look for buds or the remains of stems andleaves, and plant them facing up. When in doubt, laythe crown on its side; the plant knows to send shootsup and roots down.

Digging a garden may be impractical or impossi-ble in very heavy clay, in especially rocky soil, or insoil laced with tree roots. Under such circumstances,you can either construct a raised bed (a wood or stoneframe filled with topsoil brought in by truck) or seekout plants adapted to such difficult growing condi-tions. Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) varieties, for exam-ple, grow quite willingly in heavy soil; Artemisias andAchilleas thrive in dry soil; and Hostas are quite toler-ant of one of the most difficult sites of all—dry shade.

PLANTING

Planting is simple if you follow a few basic steps thatvary slightly according to the kind of plant and theform in which you purchased it. The followinginstructions accompany plants offered by WhiteFlower Farm.

Bulbs. Bulbs are easy to plant. With a trowel orbulb planter, dig a hole to the depth indicated on theplant label. Set the bulb in the hole with the rootsdown (if you can’t find any roots, plant the bulb on itsside). Then fill the hole with soil and water thor-oughly. Bulbs grown in large, deep containers shouldbe planted at the recommended depth. In small pots,they should be planted at one-half the normal depth.

Bareroot perennials. To plant a bareroot peren-nial, begin by unwrapping the plastic and removing(and discarding) the packing material that surroundsthe roots. With a trowel, dig a hole wide enough toaccommodate the spread of the roots and deepenough to allow you to set the crown—the pointwhere the leaves or stems of the plant meet theroots—one inch below the surface of the soil. (Someplants require deeper planting, others more shallow


PLANTING ABAREROOTPLANTDig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the roots.Arrange the roots evenlyinside the hole. Set thecrown at the depth indicated on the plant label.

Level ofsurrounding soil

Crown

Bareroot woody plants. Plant bareroot shrubs,trees, and vines as you would bareroot perennials (seepage 8), with three differences. First, before planting,remove (and discard) the packaging and soak theroots in a pail of water for a few hours. Second, takeextra care when arranging the roots in the plantinghole not to break them; the roots of many woodyplants are brittle. Third, after planting, surround themain stem with a one- to two-foot diameter ring ofsoil mounded to catch and hold water and channel itdown to the roots.

Container-grown woody plants. Plant container-grown shrubs, trees, and vines that are destined forprepared beds, such as shrub or mixed borders, as youwould container-grown annuals and perennials (seefacing page).

Container-grown woody plants that are to beplanted in unimproved soil need different treatment.Begin by checking the moisture of the potting mix inthe container. Water thoroughly if it’s dry. Then dig ahole several times the diameter of the root ball but nodeeper than the height of the root ball. Remove theplant from the pot and gently break up the sides ofthe root ball with your thumbs (you may find it eas-ier to make several vertical cuts with an old kitchenknife) and set it in the center of the hole. Push soilback into the hole and just over the top of the rootball, firm the soil with your hands or feet, and soakwith a hose set to a slow trickle. A ring of soil one totwo feet in diameter mounded around the main stemwill catch and hold water and channel it down to theroots.

For most woody plants, there is no benefit toamending the soil before planting. Rhododendrons,Azaleas, and Mountain Laurels are exceptions. They

Container-grown annuals and perennials. Toplant a container-grown annual or perennial, firstcheck the moisture of the potting mix in the con-tainer. Water thoroughly if it’s dry. Then dig a holelarge enough to hold the container (see the drawingbelow). Remove the plant from the pot by graspingthe rim, turning the pot upside down, and tapping itagainst the heel of your hand. Next gently break upthe sides of the root ball (the block of potting mixheld together by the roots) with your thumbs andtease apart roots that are circling at the bottom (seedrawing on the facing page). This operation encour-ages the roots to grow out of the potting mix and intothe surrounding soil. Set the root ball in the hole sothat the top of the ball is level with the surface of thesurrounding soil. Then push soil around and just overthe top of the root ball, firm the soil with your hands,and give the plant a thorough soaking.


PLANTING ACONTAINER-GROWN ANNUALOR PERENNIALDig a hole wide enoughand just deep enoughfor the root ball.Set the top of the rootball level with the sur-rounding soil.

BREAKING UP AROOT BALLBefore planting a container-grown plant, gently break upthe sides of the root ball.

Crown

grow better if an acidic soil amendment such as peatmoss (shredded pine bark is often recommended inthe South) is worked thoroughly into the soil atplanting time.

CARING FOR PLANTS THROUGH THE SEASONS

Watering

All plants need water to live, but only a few plants willgrow in constantly sodden conditions. In waterloggedsoil, water fills the air spaces, suffocating roots.Paradoxically, the first symptom of overwatering iswilted leaves. Seeing droop and assuming the cause tobe lack of moisture, the well-meaning gardener keepsadding more water until the plant quite literallydrowns.

To determine whether a plant needs water, lookfor signs of stress, then confirm your observations bychecking the soil with your finger. If the soil is dry 1–2 inches below the surface, water thoroughly. But ifthe soil below the surface is moist to the touch, don’twater. The plant is probably wilting because the rootsare unable to supply the top with sufficient moistureeven though the soil is damp. An established plantgenerally perks up in a day or two. A new transplantshould be provided shade from the afternoon sun fora week or so until the roots catch up.

The rule of thumb for most plants is one inch ofwater per week in summer, whether from the skies orthe spigot, but air temperature and soil type can affectthe need for water. Again, check the soil with your fin-ger before you turn on the tap. When in doubt, don’twater.


THREE WAYS OF WATERING A GARDEN

An oscillating sprinklercovers a broad area, butevaporation can stealmuch of the waterbefore it hits the ground.Water early in themorning to minimize waste.

Hand watering is slow ifyou’re trying water theentire garden, but fast ifyou need to resuscitate afew gasping plants.

Because it lies at the feetof the plants, a soakerhose delivers moistureright where it’s needed.Watering takes severalhours, so you’ll probablywant a water timer toturn the hose off.

Mulch is easy to apply. Dump it in piles betweenthe plants, then spread it evenly with your hands to adepth of about two to three inches. Keep the mulch afew inches away from the crowns of plants (see thedrawing on the facing page); moisture trappedagainst the crown can lead to rot. Because organicmulches decay and slowly disappear, you’ll need toreplenish them from time to time—usually aboutonce a year.

Fertilizing

Unlike animals, which hunt or graze to obtain calo-ries, plants manufacture their own food from sun-light, carbon dioxide, and water through the processof photosynthesis. To grow properly, however, plantsmust also take up more than a dozen nutrients fromthe soil. If any of these nutrients is in short supply, aplant may appear stunted or diseased, though all of itsother needs have been met.

To find out whether your soil is deficient in a keynutrient, test your soil as recommended on page 5.The test results will show the levels of several nutri-ents, including the big three: nitrogen (often abbrevi-ated with its chemical symbol, N), phosphorus (P),and potassium (K). Nitrogen is essential for leafgrowth. Phosphorus is required for root growth andthe production of flowers. Potassium is vital to a vari-ety of plant functions. A soil test will also provide rec-ommendations for correcting deficiencies, usuallywith through the application of fertilizers—materialsthat contain one or more essential plant nutrients.

At the garden center, you’ll find a dizzying arrayof fertilizers to choose from. Check the packages forthree numbers (such as 5-10-5), which indicate thepercentage, respectively, of Nitrogen, Phosphorus,

Mulch

Mulch is a loose material spread over the surface ofthe soil to slow the evaporation of soil moisture andto prevent weeds from sprouting. It also reduces ero-sion caused by heavy rains or irrigation. Many mate-rials can serve as mulch, but the best for an ornamen-tal garden are organic materials that are derived from

plant products such as chipped or shredded bark(available in bags or in bulk at most garden centers),shredded leaves (whole leaves can form an impene-trable mat that prevents water and air from reachingthe soil), or pine needles. These materials break downover time and help replace the nutrients taken up bythe plants.


APPLYINGMULCHTo slow evaporationand prevent weeds

from sprouting, coveryour soil with an organic mulch such asshredded bark,shredded leaves, orpine needles to a depthof 2–3 in. Hold mulchaway from the crowns of the plants to discourage disease.

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sticks and string and loops and grids—helps keepplants standing up.

The goal in staking is to provide support whileretaining a plant’s natural habit. That balance willbecome easier as you become familiar with yourplants and the various staking methods. You’re morelikely to achieve a natural look if you stake a plantearly in the season, while it’s still small. It’s hard toprop up a fallen plant in an elegant manner.

There are three basic staking techniques, eachdesigned to support a different category of plants.

Plants with tall single stems such as Delphiniums,Hollyhocks, Lilies, and Thalictrums are best sup-ported with individual bamboo or plastic-coatedmetal stakes. After the stems have elongated, butbefore bloom, push a stake into the ground near eachstem and tie the stake to stem just below the flowerbuds with green twine. Tie tightly enough to hold thestem, but not so tight that you strangle it. Loop thetwine into a figure eight before tying to permit thestem to sway a bit in the breeze without breaking.

Plants that tend to fall open as the season pro-gresses need support early to stay full. Metal grids,such as Grow-through Supports, are ideally suited tothe task. As Peonies, Dahlias, Physostegias, and Salviasshow growth in the spring, position the grids overthem. The framework is soon engulfed by the foliagebut continues to support the leaning stems.

Plants with multiple tall stems such as Boltonia,tall Asters, Garden Phlox, and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ arebest corraled by twine tied between two or morestakes or caged in cylinders of chicken wire. If set inplace early, the supports are soon hidden by leaves.

and Potassium. Bring your soil test results with youand use them as a shopping guide.

Once you’ve redressed significant imbalances inyour soil, you may still need to fertilize your plants onoccasion. Most established plants grow best if fertil-ized with a light hand. We fertilize borders, specimentrees, and shrubs just once a year—in early spring. Wecarry buckets of a balanced granular fertilizer (such as10-10-10 or an organic fertilizer) out to the gardenand scatter it by hand (always wearing gloves) the waya farmer scatters chicken feed. Our aim is light buteven coverage of the soil. For most plants (Roses arenotable exceptions), this single feeding is enough.Many concentrated, water-soluble fertilizers are alsoavailable, formulated for use on different types ofplants. We think they are best reserved for plants incontainers. Follow the manufacturers’ directionscarefully when mixing and applying these solutions.

We don’t recommend fertilizing at planting timebecause some fertilizers can injure roots. We alsodon’t recommend fertilizing perennials, shrubs, andvines during their first growing season. They needtime to settle in before being pushed to grow.

Please note that more is not better when it comesto fertilizing. Too much fertilizer can lead to soft,lanky growth that is susceptible to pests and diseases,and chronic overfeeding can kill a plant outright.

Staking

Some plants need extra support. Gravity, wind, andrain can topple tall plants such as Delphiniums andthose with very heavy blooms such as Peonies. Sun-lovers such as Heliopsis and Boltonia, when grown ina bit of shade, may lean to the point of collapse asthey reach in the direction of the light. Staking—with


STAKINGSupport plants with afew tall stems by tyingeach stem to a stakewith garden twinelooped in a figure eightaround stem and stake.

A metal grid, set inplace early in the sea-son, prevents plantswith a tendency to flopfrom sprawling all overtheir neighbors.

Tall plants with multi-ple stems can be cor-raled by twine tiedbetween two or morestakes.

Some faded flowers are worth saving.Ornamental grasses that flower in late summer, suchas Miscanthus, are often grown for their featheryplumes, which add interest to the garden in fall andwinter. The russet flower heads of Sedum ‘AutumnJoy’ stand out beautifully against newly fallen snow.Wait until late winter or very early spring—beforenew growth begins to emerge—to cut the old stems tothe ground.

Pruning shrubs

Pruning is the removal of branches or portions ofbranches to control the growth of a woody plant, tokeep it in good health, or to accentuate its naturalbeauty. You may tremble at the prospect of takingyour pruning shears to a prized shrub, but by study-ing the fundamentals of pruning, learning how ashrub grows, and working slowly and thoughtfully,you’ll soon gain confidence and wonder why you everhesitated. (Please note that the practices describedhere apply to deciduous and broad-leaved evergreen

Deadheading annuals and perennials

“Deadheading” has a sinister ring to it, but itdescribes a beneficial gardening practice: the removalof spent flowers. Deadheading has two main func-tions. It makes most plants look neater, and it pre-vents them from making seeds and scattering themaround the garden. For some plants—Achilleas,Coreopsis, and Lamiums, for example—deadheadingmay also prolong bloom or encourage a secondround of flowers later in the season.

There are no set rules for deadheading (gardenerssometimes disagree vehemently over the best tech-nique for a given plant), but it’s possible to divideplants into three basic categories.

Plants that produce blooms on a separate flowerstalk. Daylilies, Hostas, Alchemillas, Digitalis, andIrises belong in this group. When the flowers havefaded, cut the flower stalk off at its base or just belowthe canopy of leaves.

Plants that produce flowers at the tips of themain stems. This group includes Asters, Lilies, Phlox,and Peonies. Cut each stem below the spent flower orcluster of flowers, and just above a leaf or a sidebranch so the cut will be unobtrusive.

Plants that make clouds of flowers. It’s far tootedious to remove the spent blooms of Geraniums(hardy Cranesbills), Gypsophilas, Nepetas, andCoreopsis verticillata varieties one by one. Wait untilall but a few blooms have faded, then shear the stemsback by one-quarter or one-half. Most Geraniumsand Nepetas should be cut almost to the ground afterflowering. Fresh growth will soon appear.


Remove the spent flow-ers of plants that displaytheir blooms on separatestalks by cutting thestalks off at the base.

Deadhead plants thatproduce blooms at thetips of the stems by snip-ping the stems below theflowers, just above a leaf(or pair of leaves).

Plants that produce acloud of small flowersshould be sheared backby several inches aftermost the blooms have faded.

DEADHEADINGPERENNIALS AND ANNUALS

side branch, or branch union and parallel to it.Cutting more closely impairs the ability of the plantto heal the wound you are making. Leaving a longerstub invites rot.

Before you start cutting, stand back and look atthe shape of the plant and decide what you want toaccomplish. Then begin by removing dead or dam-aged branches and branches that are rubbing the barkoff their neighbors. Next thin the branches in the cen-ter of the shrub to relieve congestion and allow lightand air to penetrate the interior. Step back and take alook at what you’ve done. Now proceed to shape theshrub. Pause often to monitor your progress at thisstage, or ask your spouse or a friend to give you guid-ance. Although you can’t reattach a branch you wishyou hadn’t cut, don’t be afraid to learn by doing. Mostplants will outgrow your early mistakes.

Old, overgrown shrubs require a differentapproach to pruning. Rather than tinkering aroundthe edges, they need renewal or rejuvenation, whichmeans cutting the main branches off at the ground toencourage new, healthier, and more productiveshoots to emerge and take their place. There are twoways to renew an old shrub. One is to remove about a

shrubs. Most needled evergreens—conifers—aretrickier to prune and so should be allowed to grownaturally.)

Late winter is the best time to prune most shrubs.They are full of energy stored from the previous sum-mer and ready to put on a burst of growth with thearrival of warm weather. The loss of a few branches,even major ones, at this time of year won’t compro-mise a plant’s health. It’s also easier to see the struc-ture of a deciduous shrub when it is bare of leaves.For spring-blooming shrubs, however, a late-winterhaircut has an important drawback. When you prune,you can’t help but remove flower buds formed theprevious summer. If you’re giving a spring-bloomingshrub more than a light trim, you should wait to cutuntil after the flowers fade.

You need just three tools in your pruning arsenal:a pair of pruning shears, a pair of loppers, and apruning saw. Pruning shears are well suited for detailwork. They cut branches up to one-half inch in diam-eter. Loppers, which are essentially pruning shearswith extra long handles, can cut branches up to aboutan inch in diameter. For larger branches, use a prun-ing saw (not a carpenter’s saw). The small but razor-sharp Japanese saws are the best choice for gardeners.

In pruning, there are two basic cuts. A headingcut shortens a branch to just above a node (the pointwhere a leaf joins a branch—marked by a small budon a dormant deciduous shrub) or to a side branch. Athinning cut removes a branch at its point of origin—at a branch union (a “Y”) or at ground level. Headingcuts stimulate abundant new growth from buds andbranches near the cut, making the plant more dense.Thinning cuts open up the center of the plant with-out stimulating too much new growth. In both cases,you should make cuts about ¼ inch above the node,


HEADING CUTA heading cut shortensa branch to a node or aside branch. Cut ¼ in.above the node or side branch and parallel to it.

Rejuvenatingan AgingShrub

To rejuvenate an oldshrub, remove the mainbranches at the base,either gradually (over 3 years) or all at once.

GRADUALREJUVENATIONRemove ⅓ of the mainbranches the first win-ter, ½ of the remainderthe following winter,and the balance thethird winter.

Node (marked ondormant plants bya small bud)

} ¼ in

First year pruning cut

One year later

New growth rising from the base

Second year pruning cut

of choosing between early spring (usually mid to lateApril) and fall (late August through September). Incolder climates, spring division is preferred because itallows plants plenty of time to settle in before winter.In hot-summer climates, fall is the best time to divide;plants divided in spring may not become establishedbefore the arrival of the heat. A few plants insist ontheir own timetable. Peonies and Bearded Irises, forexample, prefer to be divided in late summer or fall.They won’t bloom again until the following year ifdivided in spring.

To divide perennials, you’ll need a few basic tools,including your bare hands (which may be all that’srequired to pull apart a mat of Coreopsis‘Moonbeam’). You’ll need a sharp spade to slicethrough big clumps of Daylilies or Asters, an axe tochop up the woody crown of an overgrownMiscanthus Grass, an assortment of old kitchenknives for smaller clumps, and an old saw to cut yourway through the heart of an Astilbe. A plastic tarpspread out in a shady corner serves as an excellentwork space.

third of the oldest branches each year. After threeyears, all of the growth will be new, and you can putthe shrub on an annual pruning regimen. The fasterbut more drastic way to rejuvenate a shrub is to bitethe bullet on a sunny day in late winter and cut theentire plant to the ground. The plant will respond bysending up a dozen or more new shoots that youmust thin and shape over the next several winters.

Dividing perennials

We tend to think of perennials as plants that look thesame year in, year out, but in fact, they change withtime. Many grow steadily larger, exceeding their allot-ted space and encroaching on less vigorous neigh-bors. Others perform brilliantly the first or secondyear after planting, then decline. The way to controlan overly enthusiastic perennial or to rejuvenate onethat’s past its prime is to dig it up and divide it, cut-ting it into smaller pieces that, with a little care, soonrecover and thrive on their own.

The best time to divide perennials depends onyour climate. Here in Connecticut, we have the luxury


DRASTICREJUVENATIONCut all the main stemsto within 1–3 in. of theground. The followingyear, begin thinning thedozens of new shootsthat spring up from thebase.

DIVIDING APERENNIAL

1. Dig and lift the plantfrom the soil (start bycutting the stems back tojust a few inches if youare dividing in fall).Shake or wash the soilfrom the roots.

2. Look for naturaldivides in the crown.Then separate theclump into two to fourlarge pieces with a sharpspade.

Practice garden sanitation. Uproot and destroyinfested plants to prevent pests and diseases fromspreading. In fall, pull up annuals, cut down all butevergreen and semiwoody perennials (see “Preparingthe garden for winter” on the following page), andrake up leaves to remove cover for overwinteringinsects and diseases.

Learn to identify pests and diseases. Before decid-ing whether to attempt to control a pest or disease,you must identify it. Different measures are effectiveagainst different pests. For example, an insecticidemay be ineffective in controlling mites, which aren’tinsects (they are spider relatives). It’s also true thatsome quite ferocious-looking bugs are harmless oreven beneficial to plants, so be sure you’ve identifiedthe real source of the problem before you decidewhether to act.

If you can’t figure out what’s causing the prob-lem, try calling your local Cooperative Extensionoffice for advice. They often have trained horticultur-ists or volunteers (called Master Gardeners) availableto help. If you’re stumped by a problem with a plantyou purchased from White Flower Farm, we inviteyou to call our Staff Horticulturist at (860) 496-9624.There is no charge for this professional assistance.

Use the least toxic control. Attempt to controlpests and diseases only when they threaten the healthof a plant (a little nibbling doesn’t warrant interven-tion), and then choose the least toxic control avail-able. Many biological pesticides have proved veryeffective in our gardens. The least toxic approach is tobanish a long-suffering plant from the garden andgrow something else instead. (If you do use pesticides,please follow the instructions on the labels carefully.)

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Begin by digging the plant out of the ground (ifyou are dividing in fall, the first step is to cut back thetop growth to just a few inches). Then dig the plantout of the ground and clean the soil from the roots byshaking the plant vigorously, dropping it on theground, or washing the roots off with a stream ofwater—whatever it takes to get a better view of theroots and the crown. Next, look for natural divides inthe crown and cut the plant into from two to fourlarge pieces. You can cut these pieces into smallerpieces and keep on cutting, if you want, providedeach piece has both roots and top. Unless you intendto start your own nursery, you’ll probably want tostop dividing when you have several well-rootedchunks. Replant them promptly (and don’t forget toshare the wealth with your gardening friends).

Pest and disease control

Like many gardeners, we were once quick to reach forpesticides—some of them bearing very dire warningson their labels—at the first sign of insect damage ordisease problems in our gardens. Today we are awareof the hazards of indiscriminate spraying to organ-isms we want to encourage (not to mention to our-selves and to wildlife), and so we now follow the moremeasured approach outlined below. Years of successallow us to recommend it to you.

Meet the needs of your plants. Plants are lesslikely to suffer from pests and diseases if they get thelight, air, water, and nutrients they need to thrive. Ifyou have a plant with a consistent problem, learnmore about its needs and address them. In manycases, the solution is to relocate the plant to anotherpart of your garden.

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4. Replant the piecesand water thoroughly.Put the leftovers in otherparts of the garden orshare them with friends.

3. If you want smallerpieces, cut with an oldkitchen knife. A divisionmust have both top androots to survive.

Rake up piles of leaves. Rake accumulations oftree leaves out of the garden beds. Leaves that havebeen shredded by a lawn mower or shredder make agood summer mulch, but mats of whole leaves cansmother perennials in winter.

Where winters are severe, put down winter pro-tection. In cold-winter climates such as ours (Zone 5[-20°F]), alternate thawing and freezing of the soil inwinter can heave the crowns of newly planted peren-nials and small shrubs right out of the ground, leav-ing their roots vulnerable to drying winds and freez-ing cold. To protect plants from heaving during theirfirst winter, put a four- to six-inch layer of looseorganic material such as straw, oak leaves, or ever-green boughs (cut into one- to two-foot lengths) overthe crowns after the ground freezes (generally inDecember here in Litchfield). Take care to avoid cov-ering the evergreen foliage of plants such as Digitalisand Dianthus. This cover is intended not to keep theplants warm but rather to keep the soil evenly frozenuntil spring.

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Preparing the garden for winter

In most climates, the first hard frost signals the end ofthe gardening year. There may yet be plants to bloom,but even those that don’t succumb to the cold arebeginning their preparation for dormancy by drop-ping their leaves or collapsing in a heap. It’s time to dosome housekeeping and prepare for the arrival ofwinter. The housekeeping chores can wait untilspring, but most gardeners prefer to tackle them infall. Spring is busy enough without having to dealwith last year’s loose ends, and there is something sat-isfying about clearing away all of the leaves and stemsand seeing the clean outlines of the garden again.

Pull up annuals and tender perennials. As theannuals are killed off by frost, pull them up, shake thesoil from their roots, and toss them on the compostpile. If you have a few treasures you’d like to overwin-ter, lift and pot them before frost, and set them on asunny windowsill.

Dig and store tender bulbs. If Dahlias, Gladiolus,or other bulbs are tender in your climate, you can digand store them indoors, then replant them the follow-ing spring. The cultural instructions on our Web siteprovide overwintering instructions for bulbs we offer.

Cut down perennials. With a pair of pruningshears (or hedge shears, if you’ve got a large garden)cut most perennials down almost to the ground, andtoss the stems onto the compost pile. Spare plantswith attractive seed heads, such as ornamentalGrasses, Rudbeckia, Perovskia, and Sedum ‘AutumnJoy’, and those that are evergreen such as Dianthusand Digitalis.


WINTERPROTECTION

Warm days in late win-ter can thaw the top sev-eral inches of soil. Whentemperatures plunge atnight, the soil refreezesand expands, pushingthe crown right out ofthe ground and exposingthe roots to the ele-ments.

Protect plants fromheaving by coveringthem with 4–6 in. ofstraw, oak leaves, orevergreen boughs.Remove the cover atDaffodil time in spring.

Wintercover

4-6 in

Soillevel

Crown

Crown

Soil Level

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Preparing the garden for spring

As winter gives way to spring, it’s time to go back intothe garden and prepare for the new gardening year.

Cut down perennials left standing over winter.Remove the old stems before the new growth gets toofar along and complicates the job.

Rake out leaves blown into beds by winter winds.No matter how thorough your fall cleanup has been,winter winds always find more leaves and drive theminto your garden.

Prune shrubs and vines. See “Pruning shrubs” onpage 19 for basic pruning techniques.

Fertilize the garden. Early spring is the best timeto scatter a balanced fertilizer in your flower beds andaround flowering trees and shrubs in the lawn. (Seethe drawing above and “Fertilizing” on page 15.)

Remove winter cover. If you put down a layer ofstraw, leaves, or evergreen boughs in fall for winterprotection, gradually remove it as frosts becomeinfrequent, usually at about the time Daffodils andForsythias are in bloom.


FERTILIZING THE GARDEN IN SPRINGAs the perennials beginto reawaken in earlyspring, scatter a balanced fertilizer suchas 10-10-10 around thegarden. For most plantsin most soils, this annual feeding is all that’s required.

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