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| Moss in lawns--an all-too-familiar battle! |
To discourage moss re-growth, follow up in a week or two
with Lilly Miller Super Sweet. Then, later this month, apply Scotts Turf
Builder with Moss Control to feed your grass. The moss killer in this
fertilizer is mediocre compared to ferrous sulfate, but the fertilizer itself
is a good blend for feeding lawns without forcing too much growth. Consider it
a good fertilizer for people who don’t like to mow!
Second, it’s time to begin the process of “rebuilding” in
your flower beds. Unlike the last few years, we’ve had a fair amount of
sub-freezing weather this winter. That’s great for killing insects and keeping
plants dormant through winter, but if you have—or rather, had—tender plants in your yard, it might be time to tear them out
and replace them with something hardier.
For gardeners who only shop for plants later in the spring,
there’s a shade-loving garden beauty they might miss out on entirely. It blooms
in winter, boasts thick, evergreen leaves and is tough as nails when it comes
to winter weather. Hellebores, once a boring and unappreciated plant species,
have recently experienced a renaissance with some impressive plant breeding.
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| Hellebores come in many great colors and textures! |
Just five years ago, most hellebores either had leggy
foliage, unimpressive flower colors or blossoms that drooped so low they were
almost unnoticeable. Thanks to hard-working plant breeders, however, many of
today’s hellebores come in more defined colors, have fuller foliage and hold
more upright blossoms. Additionally, many bloom more prolifically than older
strains, adding great color to your yard in an otherwise drab time of year.
As to cold weather, hellebores can withstand anything we get
in our part of the world. Many varieties are hardy to as low as -30F, so if
you’re concerned about a hellebore freezing during a northeaster, fear not!
Today, there are dozens of options to choose from in
hellebores. Three of my favorites are
‘Ivory Prince,’ a heavy bloomer with upright, cream-colored flowers, ‘Frilly Kitty,’ with ruffled, double blossoms in soft pink, and ‘Snow
Fever,’ an impressive new introduction last year that’s the first hellebore
with speckled green and white leaves.
Finally, take some time this month to “rebuild” existing
plants in your yard by pruning. Whether cold temperatures burned the tips of
branches or our recent freezing rain brought down whole limbs, ensure that you
keep your trees and shrubs healthy by cleaning up dead wood. Particularly on
plants that suffered broken branches, prune or saw off the jagged remnants to
create a clean break; this will allow the plant the best chance to recover in
the coming year.
As we get underway with another year of gardening, enjoy the
beauty this season has to offer and relish the opportunity to start anew in the
garden.
