Questions About Many Plants

Hi!
My wife and I listened to you and Mike on Saturday mornings on 680 WPTF and we enjoyed your show very much. We have now moved to the Lynchburg VA area (6/05) with more country spaces. I would like to ask you regarding: fertilizing, pruning, disease control, and watering on the following: Nellie Stevens Holly Golden Arborvitae Forsythia Jane Lew Magnolia Flowering Cherry (Kwanzan) Hydrangea

Thanks Ann
Tony


Anne's response:

Tony,
I am one of those gardeners who believes in leaving the watering of established shrubs to Mother Nature. During a very dry, hot summer I might water an hydrangea if it is still wilted first thing in the morning. (they should recover overnight.)

All of the plants mentioned can be fertilized as new growth begins in the spring.

I prune forsythia by removing the oldest canes at ground level after they bloom in the spring. You can remove 1/3 of the canes without damaging the plant. This allows new growth to form and maintain the flowing plant form.

Prune Nellie Stevens before new growth forms in the spring. Prune the Kwanzan after it blooms. The others can be pruned in late February to removed damaged limbs, limbs that rob against others and small limbs that grow out underneath the larger limbs.