Must do Atlanta Gardening Tasks before March: If you only have one weekend to get it all done.
There is only one weekend left before March. For gardeners in Atlanta, surrounding counties, and North Georgians this means the Spring season is almost upon us. The question was asked regarding the February gardening task list, "What if I only have one weekend to get it all done?" Well, here is that list:
- Clean leaves off lawn. This is way overdue, from our January list--So get it done!
- Scalp cool-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede). Mow to lowest setting on mower. Bag and pickup clippings. Compost your clippings.
- Prune hydrangeas, crape myrtles. Hydrangeas may be showing some budding, but get it done. Pruning crape myrtles is always a contentious issue, but if you're going to do it, now is the time
- Cut back ground covers & ornamental grasses (e.g., monkey grass/lirope, ivy, pampass grass). Pickup clippings and trimmings and compost.
- Check & refresh mulch in flowers beds. Keep a few bags of your preferred mulch on hand to repair behind squirrels and neighborhood dogs.
If you have more than a weekend to work with, double check my task lists for this winter so far from January, and February.
Whatever you do, get something done, because there is a whole new set of things we need to address going into March.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer at metro Atlanta based Proudland Landscape, LLC.
You can contact him with question via email at arjalal@proudlandlandscape.com
Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/Proudland.
Labels: Crape Myrtles, garden, lawn, mulch, tasks, winter
February Gardening Tasks--Atlanta & North Georgia
It's February in North Georgia, and Atlanta is cold and raining. Gardeners, don't sleep, because Spring is almost upon us. Do not be lulled into complacency because it feels and looks like winter. In just a few weeks Atlanta Spring will begin, and there are things you the gardener needs to do now to be ready. Here is a list:
- Scalp warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede)
- Continue to monitor local freeze warnings, be ready to protect tender plants
- Pick up the clippings and put in your compost pile
- Prune roses (middle of February)
- Cut forsythia to force indoors
- Fertilize seasonal flowers, tulip, and daffoldil beds with a low nitrogen, high phosphorous ferilizer
- Dead head yellowing, brown, or burned Camellia blooms.
- Prune crape myrtles (middle of February)
- Trim unruly shrubs like hollies, ligustrum, and cleyera
- Refresh mulch, if you haven't already
- Nurse your compost pile.
- Inventory and inspect gardening equipment
- Get mowers, chippers, weed eaters that need it to the mechanic (if not done in January)
- Sharpen blades and change oil on mowers
- Sharpen chain saw chains.
- Check the January gardening task list, and do on there what you didn't do.
March is less than a month away, and Atlanta Spring season will be upon us, despite what a certain groundhog in Pennsylvania may say. Regardless, for them it will be winter a bit longer than for us.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer for a local, award-winning landscaping firm. You can reach him via email at: a.jalal@ProudlandLandscape.com
Tweet at: twitter.com/Proudland
Resources:
"Winter chores in the landscape" -- UGA CAES
www.cleanairgardening.com/npkexplanation.html
www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/about-groundhog-day/
Labels: Crape Myrtles, garden, landscape, maintenance, mulch, Pruning, rose, tasks, winter
A Few Things to Look for in March Landscapes
This month the focus will be on Spring green-up and Summer weed prevention. Our crews are currently scalping warm season lawns (Bermuda and Zoysia), Fescue lawns are being cut low, though not scalped. In February we applied an initial course of fertilizer and spot treated any Winter weeds. In March we will follow up with some additional fertilizer, pre-emergence weed killer, and spot treatments.
Additionally, this is a good time to replenish and freshen mulches (chips or pine straw.) Mulch will help conserve moisture, stabilize soil temperatures, and, of course help beautify your landscape. We have begun applying new pine straw to some landscapes, however, the frequent rains have caused some delay. If you would like your mulch replenished, be sure to let us know.
Labels: Lawn Care, maintenance, mulch
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