Transcript WildlifehabitatFeb2012 - Copy - Research

From
Our Habitat Garden
Late February 2012
Winter Blooms
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This has been a very
mild winter.
Temperatures hit the
high 50’s yesterday
(February 22nd) and
will increase into the
60’s today!
Hellebores (on left) are
out all over my garden!
Other Blooms
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Chinese witch hazel
(Hamamelis ‘Arnold
Promise’) sends out its spicy
scent as well as its golden
flowers in protected sunlit
corners of the shade garden.
Plants like witch hazels,
winter hazels, bulbs and
spring ephemerals bloom in
early spring before the
leaves of woodland trees
unfurl.
Spring Clean-up
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To help wildlife get through the winter, I make
a point out of NOT “cleaning” up the garden in
the fall.
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Instead, I leave all berries, seed heads and food
sources for birds (and rodents, I guess) on the
plants so they will be available when they are
most needed.
Perennials
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In late winter, I start
cleaning up by cutting
back the perennials that
have depleted their seed
sources.
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While cutting back, I
am careful to keep the
egg cases of Praying
Mantids that will hatch
later in spring.
Cutting Back Shrubs
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Among the plants I cut back
each year are the red-twig
(Cornus sericea) and
yellow-twig dogwoods
(Cornus stolonifera
‘Flaviramea) which produce
stronger, more colorful
twigs when they are pruned
this way.
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I put the cut stems in wet
sand or water (adding
golden willow stems to help
in the rooting process) and
use these for decoration,
even as early as Christmas.
Cutting Back Virtues
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Other shrubs that benefit from this type of cutting
back (also referred to as “stooling”) include:
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Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ – producing deeper
purple foliage colors when cut back this way.
Salix alba Vitellina ‘Britzensis’ – producing orange stems
in the winter and also controlling for height.
Paulownia tomentosa – can be grown as a shrub with huge
leaves instead of a tall, rangy tree if trained this way.
Call me to schedule
pruning in your garden!
(610) 444-3215
Or cell (610) 209-8363