February 13, 2014

Tricky Plants + Tricky Pruning

Ready, set, prune! At least some plants, that is, like my mushy crinums, sprouting already.

This week, Daphne tidies up with tips on what we can prune and when. I’ve already cut back zexmenia and other natives that look crunchy. Here’s the before. Now I can really see those perennializing bulbs coming up!

Big fat note: microclimates, even in your own yard, make a difference. I’ve cut back plumbago and lantana to the ground for a better view of underplanted bulbs, too.  But my garden may be toastier than yours.

Annie at The Transplantable Rose says: “My plumbago (in a very sheltered spot next to the back door) died down to ground level this year so I cut it to about 6-9 inches. That way, the way it looked didn’t drive me crazy, but the stems were tall enough to hold mulch/leaves in place until the weather is warmer.” Her trailing lantana didn’t freeze like mine did this time. That’s microclimates for you! She cuts back or shapes if still green in late February.

We CAN prune roses and rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetela). It’s the best time to shape rosemary. Cut brown stick perennials and shrubs to the ground. Some include flame acanthus, turk’s cap and mistflowers. Cut Salvia leucantha, herbaceous salvias like ‘Black and Blue’ and ‘Indigo Spires’, evergreen Salvia roemeriana, asters and mums to their rosettes.

I could have cut back some things sooner, but I like to keep seeds for the little birds until they’ve plucked them clean.

Same for grasses, too. They’re so pretty in winter and I dislike the early haircuts so often seen around town. When you do it, cut 3-6” above the ground. If your bamboo muhly froze, cut it to the ground. I put grass clippings where birds can snag them for comfy nests they’re designing!

I’ll wait a few more weekends to prune Barbados cherry. Mine are so tall that I cut back a few feet to wrangle them, whether they froze or not.

My thryallis needs taming, too, but I’ll slot that in closer to the last frost date.

As Daphne notes, warm days combined with pruning prompt leaf growth. Is a zap coming or not? Toss a coin with more cold-tender plants. Me, I won’t even think about touching abutilon until March.

I’ll wait on shrimp plant, too, though it probably wouldn’t mind a chop to the ground right now.

March is when I’ll cut my Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) right to the ground. Its neighbor: Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana), I’ll see what happens. Mine got its first 12°, so I’ll watch its branches and decide later.

Here’s Daphne’s list. And here’s a general guide to pruning from Doug Welsh at Texas A&M.

Now, what about growing tricky plants? This week, Amanda Moon from It’s About Thyme joins Tom with tips for growing outside the box, along with sensibility about some common plants at box stores that mislead us.

Since I get bombarded with questions about Japanese maples, as she sure does, here’s her trick once and for all. Shade, good drainage, not overwater, shade!

Best for us in shade (did I mention that?): Bloodgood, Tamukeyama, Emperor 1 and Sangu Kaku.

Indeed, I understand why people want hydrangeas, but unless you’re in a unique soil pocket and like to water, what about Oakleaf hydrangea instead? This taller plant isn’t quite the same, but it’s more drought tolerant in those shady spots.

We love lavender, but it doesn’t love us unless we give it full sun, sharp drainage with decomposed granite or gravel, and rare irrigation. Amanda suggests ‘Goodwin Creek Grey’, a lovely and fragrant addition to your succulent and cactus gardens.

Bougainvillea: this summertime fave brings in lots of questions.

Amanda recommends blistering sun and neglect. Over-watering is its nemesis, so let it wilt a little before you water.  Grown in the ground, it can withstand 25°; the new dwarf varieties are out of here at 40°.

And although Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’ is tougher than drought itself and SO wonderful in part shade, Amanda notes that it’s cutoff temp is  25°, as many of us know. Sigh.

UPDATE: On our plants for bees program with Reid’s Nursery, here’s their detailed list for growing conditions.

To the list, let’s add native perennial coneflower, Daphne’s Plant of the Week. Small birds will be all over its seeds, too.

Plant new ones now if you didn’t last fall. Tidy up current residents by cutting old stalks to the rosettes. Note: sometimes coneflowers go into hiding and we think we’ve lost them. Mine tend to show up just about the time I’ve given up!

On Backyard Basics, we’re excited to introduce Brandi Blaisdell from The Natural Gardener in her TV debut!

She’s going postal with a cute mailbox that delivers her tools, plant labels, journal, mosquito repellant and even a koozie to keep us organized as we hit frenzy time. Plus, what a fun way to snazzy up that dark area begging for a little attention.

To celebrate Valentine’s weekend, here’s our Valentine to you—a romantic garden makeover from patches of withered lawn.

Thanks for stopping by! See you next week, Linda

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