Hello there!
Did you know that Nebraska Nursery has moved? We are no longer at our retail location and can now be found at our Nursery location located at 4240 S. Coddington Avenue in Lincoln. As we prepare for spring, I want to provide you some tips for this past dry winter and suggest taking the following extra steps this spring.
Lawn – You may need to water your yard earlier than normal this spring. When temps are above 45 and we have not received additional rain, consider putting a screw driver into your yard and see at what depth the ground is frozen. If not frozen in the first few inches, then go ahead and water. When watering, it should only be for about 10-15 mins, and allowing for a slow soak. If we do not get any additional significant moisture, you could water once over the next few weeks and then again in later April.
- Keep in mind we may still see freezing temps, especially overnight, so if you do water be sure to winterize your irrigation system again and/or disconnect hoses.
Perennials – Spring perennial care this year will be so important with the dry winter and fluctuating temps, and who knows what is yet to come! It is okay to water perennials now. Keep in mind, if we do get 1/2″ of rain in any given week during this late winter/early spring, that will take care of watering for that week.
- It is important to remember the soil is still cool, so the plants are not taking as much water yet and it’s important not to overwater. Check the soil moisture before you water! If you question if the soil is wet enough, wait another few days. It is better to be on the dry side than be too wet, which can lead to root rot and kill the plant.
- Pruning – It is time to start pruning, starting now and until the new growth starts to pop. This is the ideal time to clean up last year’s foliage. Most perennials can be cut down to 3″-4″ above grade. Exceptions can be dianthus, coral bells, and any other semi-evergreen plants that still has good foliage from last year. In this case, simply pull out the brown and crispy foliage. Putting compost at the dripline of the plant is a natural way to create a healthy environment for the root system.
- Fertilize – Now is NOT the time to fertilize your perennials. Putting fertilizer on now will encourage extra growth that the plant may not be able to maintain throughout the season.
Trees – Your older established trees can benefit from early season watering. The majority of the feeder roots will be within a foot of the top of the soil. Watering under the canopy and beyond is important to completely water the tree.
- Your younger trees (trees less than 3 years old) are considered to be a new tree. Be sure to water the original root ball around the hole where the tree was planted, as well as under the canopy and just beyond.
As always, email us with any questions at info@colorgardens.com and please watch for updates as we move into Spring!
Happy Spring!
Angie