Eva Rose Montane: What to do to keep your western garden
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This document provides seasonal maintenance tips for dryland plants and xeric gardens. Some key points include: - Prune woody plants in late winter while dormant, being careful not to prune certain plants every year. - Mulch in the spring to keep weeds out and moisture in, using bark or wood mulch at 3-4 inches deep. - Prolong perennial blooms by pruning them as needed. - Leave plant stalks and leaves in the fall until fully brown before cutting back to avoid removing nutrients still inside. - Certain shrubs require little to no maintenance from year to year.
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Eva Rose Montane: What to do to keep your western garden
- 2. Dryland plants and gardens need less maintenance! Less watering =less growing and fewer weeds More watering =more work Newly installed “low maintenance” landscapes Just add water!
- 3. “Regular” Xeric Gardens Seasonal breakdown of how to keep your garden beautiful And minimize maintenance throughout the year Maintenance free isn’t possible unless you want to try my neighbor’s tactic
- 4. Late Winter
- 5. Prune woody plants while dormant Most shrubs But not all of them need it every year! Plant them in the right place and they shouldn’t need much pruning for the sake of shaping Western aesthetic: allow for natural graceful form
- 6. Cane shrubs
- 7. Use Sharp, Sterilized Bypass Pruners
- 11. Trees
- 12. Remove any time of year Dead Diseased Damaged Crossing
- 13. Dead, Diseased, Damaged, Crossing
- 14. Wait to cut ornamental grasses
- 15. Junipers and Cotoneasters Require Strategic Pruning!
- 16. Spring
- 17. Bulbs DO NOT remove leaves while more green than brown. Deal with it! Plant perennials that will get big enough early enough to hide old bulb leaves
- 19. Why Not to Leave Stubs in Fall
- 21. Mulch Not meant to be focal point Helps create fnished look Functions to Keep weeds out (or easier to pull) Keep moisture in Large chunks don’t do this; purely decorative NO mulch volcanoes
- 22. Bark/Wood Mulch vs. Gravel Wood looks lusher, m woodsy ore Also sucks up water Finer particles better Use adequate depth 3-4” Gravel allows for better reseeding and rain to flter down to roots Use 1-2”
- 23. Mulch Dyed Cocao Pistachio Slopes and windy areas
- 24. Avoid Weed Mat
- 26. Summer
- 27. Perennials Plants that need attention just one time each year Some of my favorites Mirabilis multifora Oenothera macrocarpa Digitalis obscura Echium amoena Erodium chrysantha Eriogonum umbellatum Ornamental grasses
- 28. Delosperma sp.
- 30. Prolong Perennial Blooms Som so-called low maintenance plants require more e preening Nepeta May Night Salvia Centranthus sp. Shasta
- 31. Design Tip: Plant in Masses
- 32. Shrubs Make Great A Choice Many need nothing from year to year Rhus aromatic ‘Gro Low’
- 33. Fall
- 34. When to cut back perennials Fall ideal Like bulb leaves, use the brown – cut, green – wait rule of thumb Decorative seedheads enjoyed by humans and birds are an exception
- 35. Leave no stubs, Please!
- 36. Keep it looking natural Remove spent stalks or leaves by pulling gently but frmly whenever possible Iris leaves Erodium Armeria, Allium, some Hemerocaulis spent fower , stalks Mirabilis multifora, Oenothera macrocarpa whole plant
- 37. “Fertilize”/soil condition YumYum Mix Spring and fall
- 38. Tree Wraps are for Winter Meant to prevent sunscald aka Southwest damage on young trees I like the white plastic coils White refects the suns heat Make sure to remove in spring earwigs
- 39. When to Plant Anytime you can dig a hole Early spring and fall are ideal 2 schools of thought Summer is fne but requires more water and tending
- 40. Good news!
- 42. Thank you!