Prune Time…….. Clip now or see scars later
If you have junipers in your landscape, January and February are perfect times to do a little corrective pruning and shaping. By doing so at this time of the year when they are dormant as soon as new growth emerges in the spring it will hide any brown edges left by pruners and hedge shearers. Remember to remove no more than one third of the overall size of the plant. Try to keep the base of the plant a little wider than the top so as to reduce browning and thinning due to lack of light.
Yew plants, Alberta spruce, and boxwood will also benefit from this time of the year pruning as well. If you can achieve more pruning with hand pruners versus hedge shearers you will minimize the brown edges on leaves and needles. Upon completion you may want to side-dress with a systemic insecticide as a preventative for summers spider mites and scale. If you use granular organic fertilizer (and I hope you are) now would be an excellent time for this chore. Our (Redmond Greenhouse) “Cold Climate” blend would be one of the best choices and would last the entire season. The microbes and mychorizae in this selection will help feed the soil and extend good drought tolerance and extended root systems. If any of your evergreens are showing signs of drying or faded greens you might want to apply a foliar spray of “Wilt-Proof”. This product has proven itself year after year guarding against our cold winters dehydration.
Hope all is well as January starts to wind down……… Spring is on the way… Doug
