Late January and throughout the month of February is the time to set out rose bushes. Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil. You don't have to create a bed dedicated only to roses. Consider planting them with perennials, annuals or flowering shrubs so they become a part of the landscape. When selecting a rose bush, avoid those plants that are showing evidence of new growth, since the winter weather may damage the new plant. Also make sure the canes are a healthy green color.
Shrubs and Shrubs - Don't include French or big leaf Hydrangeas when you are doing your pre-season pruning. If you do, you will cut off flower buds that formed last summer. So let them bloom and then prune them if they need it. The 'PeeGee' hydrangea is pruned in late winter, as it blooms in late summer on current year's growth.
Deciduous, spring-flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, spirea, flowering almond, quince, or pearlbush should not be pruned until after flowering. Otherwise, you are going to cut off your blooms.
If you are in doubt as to how to prune crapemyrtles-don't. Certainly do not butcher them by whacking off the entire canopy leaving large, limbless stumps! If your crapemyrtle is growing too large for its location, this is a good time to move it. Even moderate size trees can be transplanted successfully. If you do prune your multi-trunk tree form crapemyrtle, limit it to removing suckers from the base and removing interior branches that conceal the beautiful bark. You can also trim off the old seed heads if you wish, although this is not necessary. For general guidelines on pruning refer to the "When to Prune?" table below for general pruning guidelines.
When to Prune?
* Spring or winter flowering plants: after bloom
* Summer flowering plants: during the dormant period (late winter) or in early spring
* Evergreen shrubs: in late winter or early spring before new growth appears*
* Avoid pruning shrubs after midsummer to prevent winter damage of new growth
*For evergreens with attractive flowers, prune after flowering
Now is the time to cut back winter-damaged, unattractive liriope foliage. Avoid tipping the new growth or there will be brown edges for the year to come. If you do it now before growth begins, you can use a string trimmer or the lawn mower set at its highest setting.
