Add fresh compost once or twice a year and add mulch as needed to
maintain a three- to four-inch layer.
Gardening
Soil Care
Pruning
Do:
1. Pinch off dead flowers on perennials and shrubs between your
thumbnail and index finger. This is called deadheading, and encourages
more flowers.
2. Pinch a few inches off the end of a stem on herbs, vegetables and
flowering plants, and two new stems will grow. This is called pinching
and it produces a fuller plant with more leaves and flowers. Use your
thumbnail or gardening shears and try it on one plant first to see how
it works.
3. If ornamental grasses become large and unattractive, cut them back to
six inches from the ground. The recommended time to do this is late
winter or early spring, just before their growth period begins.
4. Remove dead wood in perennials, shrubs and trees. Start at the base
of the plant and work your way up. The recommended time to prune
perennials and shrubs is at the end of their blooming period. If one of
your gardening goals is to create habitat for wildlife, then don't prune
until after the flowers turn to fruit.
5. Prune dense plants from the inside out, thoughtfully removing branches
that cross and rub each other, branches pointing downward and the
smaller of two parallel branches. By doing this, you redirect the plant's or
tree's energy into the remaining branches, establishing its future growth
and shape. Step back frequently to inspect shape and appearance, and
don't remove more than 25 percent of the foliage at a time.
6. If you prune a diseased plant or tree, sterilize your pruning shears with a
10 percent bleach solution to avoid spreading the disease to other plants.
131
