Ask the determined gardener

When do I prune my Lacebark elm tree?

Lacebarks are a wonderful large to medium large shade tree. At 40 to 50 feet tall, they thrive in tight clay soils and work well in hot, windy and dry conditions once established. Large trees limbs should have an 18 to 24 inch spacing with branches spiraling around the main trunk. Medium sized tree branch spacing should be 11 to 17 inches. Tree should be trained when young. While maintaining a strong central leader, select the first branch to point toward the direction of prevailing winds. Eventually, branches below 8 feet should be considered temporary, but may stay in place for many years. Pruning cuts should be clean and within the branch collar. January and into early spring, while the tree is fully dormant, is the best time to make pruning cuts. It may be hard to prune on that 8-foot whip you planted last year but the results will show in later years. Your tree will be balanced with strong branches. Maintain a strong central leader throughout the tree’s growth. Watch out for narrow branch crotches, less than 30 degrees, as these may become weak and split as additional growth rings push each section apart. In fall you will appreciate the small size of Lacebark elms leaves.

How and when do I plant my daffodils?

Daffodil bulbs should be planted in October or later at a depth of 2 times the diameter of the bulb. Eliminate competing plants unless you want to intersperse the daffodils with later blooming flowers. They will mature and bloom before many other flowers are close to blooming. A strong root structure should develop during fall and early spring. Plants should break ground in February. OSU Fact Sheet 6408 Lawn Maintenance Schedule will keep you ahead of times for maintaining your landscape.

My grass is turning into a mottled mosaic, why?

This fascinating pattern is created when there is a frost with a slight wind. Frost forms on different sections of the turf, creating what I consider a work of art. This is not harmful to your lawn and the effect will disappear after the next hard freeze when the rest of the turf will go dormant.

When should I plant a fescue lawn?

The best planting windows are the last half of January, all of February, the first week of March, the second half of September, and all of October. Seeding rate should be 4 to 6 pounds of pure live seed per 1000 square feet. Prep the soil according to seed instructions, then, water as suggested. OSU Publication L-442 will be a great help in growing a strong and healthy fescue lawn.

There are things you can do to your landscape throughout the winter months, giving a great head start to be growing and enjoying your efforts this spring.