LANDSCAPE TIPS

Landscaping and maintenance tips from the pros at

Village Green Landscapes

We post “tips from the pros” as a complementary service from Village Green Landscapes,
Look for new tip updates on this page frequently.

Please note: These tips are suggestions only and are considered to be typical actions in the landscaping and landscape management industry. However, due to the diverse dynamics of each landscape site, some information or suggestions may not be absolute without knowledge of your particular site or situation.

Tips for Spring

After the winter months pass and we move into spring, you may get the itch to get out in your yard and get a few things done before the growing season gets into full spring.

One thing that should be on your list is the spring pruning and fertilizing of shrubs and evergreens. If you plan to do this yourself, you may want to follow a few suggestions from the Pros at Village Green.

Giving all your shrubs the “once over” trim in the spring may get your spring chore out of the way, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was best for those particular shrubs, or that a particular plant will even flower much, or at all this season.

Knowing when to prune is key. When to prune shrubs depends on when they form their flower buds. Early-spring shrubs are those that bloom on the previous year’s wood such as Forsythia and Azalea. These should be pruned immediately after flowering, allowing buds to form for next spring. Mid-spring and summer flowering shrubs are those that bloom on current year’s wood, such as Viburnum, Potentilla and Spirea, should be pruned in early spring before they flower. We suggest cutting them back 1/3 to keep a full shape.

Shrubs with insignificant flowers or non-flowering shrubs can be pruned anytime. Early-spring pruning allows new seasonal growth to disguise pruning cuts.

When it comes to fertilizing, it is extremely important to carefully follow the directions on the packaging. You can fertilize most of your plantings with tree and shrub fertilizer in early spring. For best results, fertilize Rhododendrons and Azaleas after they have flowered.

If you have a real difficult, or harsh growing site, we recommend taking a soil sample so you know what nutrients your soil is lacking. That makes it easier to determine what amendments and fertilizer you would need.

For best results, wrap up your tree and shrub fertilizing before the end of May.