Photo: prestigeflower.uk.com

One of the pleasures of spring is taking stock in your garden: Which perennials are ready to be doubled (or even tripled)? To address your spring bloomers, you must wait until fall. But now is the time to divide fall bloomers so that before summer arrives, they will have ample recovery time.

Dividing plants not only benefits your garden, it also gives older perennials a chance to rejuvenate and thrive once again. Doing this chore isn’t necessary every year; depending on the species, every two to five years is sufficient.

Related: 5 Spring Garden Favorites to Plant Right Now

In picking candidates for division, focus on perennial clumps that have been producing fewer flowers, or flowers with hollow, dead centers. Chrysanthemums, asters, cannas, ornamental grasses, coneflowers and astilbe will all appreciate the extra attention.

A few days before you divide them, give your plants extra water, and make sure to prepare the bed, so you can pop the new divisions into the ground right away. If possible, pick an overcast day for the task. Dig around the plant, giving it a four- to six-inch berth. Remove the root ball of the entire clump and separate out sections as gently as possible.

Dividing Perennials with a Knife. Photo: Lowes.com

To separate very tangled roots, greater force might be needed. Pry the roots apart with two garden forks placed back to back. Try to wriggle rather than tear. Use a kitchen knife judiciously to pull apart the toughest clumps. Finally, make sure you get your new divisions into the ground that day, and provide plenty of mulch and water to help them settle into their new location.

Dividing Perennials in the Spring Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: gardenblog.winterthur.org

Azaleas are getting ready to set gardens on fire. The fluorescent shades of this plant’s hallmark blooms tend to make a near-instant impact on the landscape. Though a signature of the South, azaleas—classified in the genus Rhododendron—thrive on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line.

Deciduous Azalea. Photo: moosycountrygarden.com

There are thousands of azalea varieties, evergreen or deciduous. The former is known for purple and red blooms, while the latter features shades of pink, orange, and red. Evergreens prefer partial shade, and they flower and finish faster. Deciduous azaleas need full sun but last through the summer. Note also that multi-season blooming specialties have hit the market, courtesy of breeder Encore Azalea.

Evergreen Azaleas. Photo: hollyhillsnurseries.wordpress.com

Plant your azaleas in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Depending on the variety, plant in either full sun or semi-shade, being sure to pick a spot that is removed from competing tree roots. Dig wide but plant shallow; the top of the root ball should be at surface grade. Now is also the time to transplant any pre-existing azaleas in your garden. For protection of new or replanted azaleas, add a good layer of mulch, and remember to water well throughout the summer.

For more on gardening, consider:

Spring Garden Favorites to Plant Right Now
5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Garden for Spring
Plant Cool Weather Crops in Containers for Spring Salads

We Heart Azaleas: Top Tips on Care Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

1. HEATHER

Scottish Heather. Photo: oregonstate.edu

Heathers come in a variety of colors and as an added bonus, they are a big draw for pollinators. Choose your variety of this Scotland native according to the needs of your garden design. A lower, spreading-type variety is suitable as a ground cover while an upright heather would work wonderfully as a border.

 

2. ASIATIC LILIES

Asiatic Lily. Photo: mostbeautifulflower.com

Despite their exotic, if not fussy, appearance, Asiatic lilies require no stakes and are remarkably easy to grow. And so long as you provide adequate drainage, they tolerate many soils. Plant your bulbs in a sunny spot sooner rather than later.

3. GARDENIAS

Gardenia. Photo: thefloweravenue.com

A garden classic, gardenias don’t grow everywhere, but if you’re in the Southeast, tuck this evergreen shrub near the deck or beneath a window to enjoy its fragrance. For best results, treat your soil so that it maintains an acidic pH between 5 and 6.0.

4. ZINNIAS

Zinnia. Photo: growingthehomegarden.com

Those in warmer climates are able to plant these undemanding annuals under a light covering of soil, one-quarter-inch deep or so. Shorter growing season? Start your zinnia in a peat pot, then in a few weeks, plant the pot directly into the garden. No matter where you live, these cheerful blooms will brighten your garden—and your mood.

5. SNAPDRAGONS

Snapdragon flowers. Photo: treesflowers.com

It’s a bit surprising that such delicate, vibrant blooms are able to handle a few nights of frost, but as cool-season annuals, Snapdragons may actually be sown before your area’s last frost date. Add them to containers, beds, or borders, but prepare yourself to remove spent flowers (or ‘deadhead’) with some frequency.

For more on gardening, consider:

10 Hydrangea Showstoppers
5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Garden for Spring
Boxwoods: Maintaining Structure in Your Garden

5 Spring Garden Favorites to Plant Right Now Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Ace Hardware

As the growing season picks up, so does the drive to fertilize. Surely, your lawn could use a little help as it gets going—that’s what you’d assume anyway, based on all of the fertilizer tips and products appearing in stores this time of year.

If you really want to give your lawn a boost, it helps to know a bit more about what fertilizer is really doing.

Grass requires small amounts of many nutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur to name a few). Macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are needed in larger quantities.

Nitrogen—which promotes growth and gives grass its green color—is the nutrient your lawn needs the most of. But you shouldn’t indiscriminately lay down a nitrogen supplement.

Instead, follow these tips:

Get a soil test.
A soil test performed by your local extension office will reveal what your lawn needs to succeed. The results of the test will include a range of information, such as your soil’s pH. Liming and fertilizer recommendations are also given to help you avoid applying products unnecessarily. A soil test may also indicate whether your grass is sufficient in phosphorus; if it is, then low-phosphorus fertilizer is recommended.

Determine your type of grass.
Cool-season grasses (including Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue) benefit most from fertilizer in the fall, at which time the added nutrients go a long way toward bolstering root growth. In the spring, fertilizer promotes the shoots of cool-season grasses to the detriment of their roots. The result is more mowing and less healthy grass. If you forgot to fertilize in the fall, or if your lawn suffered winter damage, a light application now isn’t a bad idea—just wait until the soil has warmed up to at least 55 degrees. For warm-season grasses (including zoysia and Bermuda), springtime fertilization is appropriate once the lawn is actively growing, about six weeks after the last frost date.

Release slow, not fast.
Using slow-release fertilizer prevents nutrient overload and lowers the risk that your application will contribute to shoot, not root growth. Before purchasing a fertilizer, compare product labels and be sure that at least one-third of the nitrogen content in your choice is slow-release.

Pick a sunny day.
Fertilizing immediately prior to a rainstorm makes the water supply vulnerable to chemical runoff. Even in the best weather, consider organic fertilizers like fish emulsion and blood meal, or eschew all synthetics and opt for all-natural compost tea.

Corn Gluten Meal. Photo: blaircountylawnservice.com

While you are at it, use corn gluten.
Organic corn gluten not only gives your lawn a shot of nitrogen, but it also acts as a natural pre-emergent weed suppressant. Add it to your grass now to keep weed seeds from sprouting up during the heart of the growing season.

For more on lawn care, consider:

5 Ways to a Greener Lawn
How To: Mow Your Lawn Properly
Artificial Turf: 7 Reasons to Consider the New Grass Alternative

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize? Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: hoosiergardener.com

Ready for spring to arrive? So is your garden.

The ground may still be cold, but longer days have already begun to coax your plants out of their winter dormancy. It’s undoubtedly early—there’s not a lot of true gardening to do yet—but there are several valuable ways that you can prepare for the busy spring and summer seasons ahead.

1. Assess and Repair
Check your garden for winter damage. Shake off any snow that remains on delicate branches, and clean up any boughs that were broken in storms. Add mulch to areas where your fall application has thinned, and replant any shrubs that were pushed up by frost heave. As you work, try not to walk on muddy areas, as your footsteps will compact the soil.

2. Water
Here’s a fair-weather gardening instruction that is also relevant during the cool weeks of late winter and early spring: On sunny days, give your flower beds a good soaking—warm fronts are on the horizon, after all.

Photo: kyagextension3.blogspot.com

3. Prune
With newly sharpened garden tools, prune all dead or diseased branches, not to mention branches whose appearance contrasts with the prevailing aesthetic of your shrub or tree. Avoid cutting any species that bloom early, such as lilacs or azaleas.

4. Fertilize
Compared to plants growing outdoors, your houseplants will return more quickly. Help their growth by dosing your regular spring fertilizer at half strength.

5. Start Seeds
Not everything needs a head start, but if you’re itching to get back into the garden, why not experiment with early- and slow-growers like peas, lettuce, carrots and leeks? Now is also the time sit down with a seed catalogue to select and buy all of the varieties you wish to try this year.

For more on gardening, consider:

Starting Tomatoes from Seed
Plant Cool Weather Crops in Containers for Spring Salad
7 Popular Groundcovers to Enhance Any Yard

5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Garden for Spring Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Brazilian Rain Tree by Spudi Sulistyo. Photo: bonsaiempire.com

Bonsai—caring for and nourishing miniature shrubs and trees in pots—has long been a way for hobbyists to reduce stress and demonstrate their gardening skill.

Originally called penjing by the Chinese (before its adoption by the Japanese), bonsai cultivation has been traced back to 800 AD, when it was a favorite activity of Buddhist monks.

This ancient art can look intimidating, but with the right approach it can be a soothing meditation and a challenging test of one’s green thumb. Because the pots are so small, the bonsai have less soil from which to draw nutrients, so they need more attention than would an outdoor planting of the same species.

Juniper Bonsai. Photo: treekb

Before purchasing a bonsai, ensure that you are buying a suitable species. Your selection should be able to produce new buds on old wood; should have short distances between leaf nodes; and should have leaves capable of being reduced to smaller size. A bonsai must also be able to withstand root disturbance. Some of the more traditional species include junipers, maples, and pines. Flowering bonsai include azalea, Cherry, and Japanese quince.

Flowering bonsai. Photo: brookston

Most bonsai need strong sun. To provide adequate light to all sides of the plant, turn it back to front every month or so. Be sure to give your bonsai some outdoor time as well: A species that comes from an area with hard winters will need periods of cooler temperatures to thrive, while a tropical species will enjoy summer heat.

Without pruning, a bonsai grows into a regular tree—but avoid the novice mistake of over-pruning. Only prune as new growth matures, not every time a new leaf appears. Follow the plant’s natural inclination, pruning only to keep growth in balance. Advanced gardeners are able to create a more pleasing shape by wrapping a bonsai trunk with aluminum wire.

Trident Maple Bonsai. Photo: wikipedia

To keep the roots healthy, you’ll have to re-pot bonsai as often as twice a year, each time trimming the roots by about one third and mixing into the soil a measure of organic, slow-release fertilizer. The latter encourages roots to take in nutrients and not crowd the pot.

Water your bonsai as needed, keeping the soil slightly damp, not wet. The top soil should be dried out, but not the soil below. Battle dry indoor environments by misting the leaves on occasion.

For more on gardening, consider:

Quick Tip: Tree Care
5 (Nearly) Kill-Proof Houseplants
Bob Vila Radio: Shrub Success

Bonsai for Beginners Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: dothegreenthing.com

Over the winter, when your outdoor garden has little to boast about, the greenery inside your home lifts spirits and keeps the air fresh. But believe it or not, even if a plant lives in a pot indoors, it remains aware of the seasons.

Houseplants deal with winter much the same as outdoor varieties. Although their colors stay bright, indoor plants essentially go to sleep. Here’s how to provide the best care for your ficus, ferns, and philodendrons until the weather warms:

Limit watering, pay attention. Plants that are dormant do not require as much water as growing plants do during spring and summer. Use a finger to check the soil and give your plants a good soaking whenever the soil is dry.

Photo: lifestylecoutures.blogspot.com

Try a new window. If your plants pass the summer in one window, you might place them near another for the winter. Or give the window glass a wash, inside and out, in order to let in a little more light.

No food necessary. You may be inclined to fertilize to encourage growth, but your plants won’t be interested until the days get longer and the sun gets stronger. Start back with weekly feedings to give your plants a boost closer to spring.

Give them a dusting. Wipe down any dusty leaves with a soft cloth dipped in water. Left alone, dust can prevent your plant from fully absorbing the nutrients it needs from the environment.

Photo: gardenersworld.com

A little humidity goes a long way. Your plant may not be as thirsty now, but that doesn’t mean it appreciates the dry air. Mist frequently and put tropical plants on a tray of rocks with a small amount of water.

For more on winter gatrdening, consider:

5 (Nearly) Kill-Proof Houseplants
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The Winter Garden: Hedge Your Bets

Winter Care for Houseplants Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Jackson & Perkins

The amaryllis is usually thought of as a one-off winter bulb that makes for a great holiday accent. But with very little care on your part, you can have the grand flower appear year after year.

The bulb, of the genus Hippeastrum, is native to South America and South Africa and grows either in savannas or high plateau regions. In keeping one alive for more than one bloom cycle, the goal is to mimic its natural habitat as closely as possible.

While your amaryllis is flowering, try to keep it cool, or place it near a cold windowpane that doesn’t get much sun. In its current state, with little foliage, the plant doesn’t need more than diffuse lighting. And it should stay moist, though not soaking wet.

Slideshow: 5 (Nearly) Kill-Proof House Plants

Once it has finished blooming, cut back the flowering stalk and place the pot in a sunny window. Fertilize and watch for the shoots of leaves to grow tall. When danger of frost has passed, the amaryllis can be moved to a sunlit spot outdoors.

Water and fertilize weekly all summer long, but stop in the fall, when the leaves will turn brown and die.

Once the plant has entered dormancy, store it in a cool, dry, dark spot for about six to eight weeks. During this time, the bulb will replenish itself for another bloom period.

Photo: Fine Gardening

After dormancy, take the bulb out of storage and replant in a bigger pot using a mix of equal parts soil, peat moss, and perlite. Keep the pot in a sunny location within a room that stays on the cooler side, 50 or 65 degrees. Water only when the soil feels dry. In about six weeks, you’ll see another bloom and will have taken your amaryllis through a complete cycle.

For more on gardening, consider:

How To: Care for Garden Tools
Bob Vila Radio: Gardening Online
The Winter Garden: Hedge Your Bets

Amaryllis, Year After Year Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Topiaries at The Gardens of Versailles. Photo: concierge.com

The sculpture of plants, or topiary, has been a gardening practice for centuries. The precise designs achieved through shaping and pruning can be found all over the world, from the gardens of Versailles to the Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland.

If your outdoor landscape doesn’t require the addition of such a formal element, or the practice seems intimidating, why not try making a tabletop topiary for your interior?

Start with a plant. Ivies are a traditional choice, as are boxwoods, creeping fig, and myrtle. To add not only an aesthetic, but also a fragrant element to your home, then lavender, rosemary, and bay are great choices. For a flowering topiary, options include jasmine and dwarf azaleas.

Angel Ivy Ring Topiaries. Photo: Art and Interior

Now determine the shape you want your tabletop topiary to take. For beginning sculptors, start 2-D. You can buy a frame or choose to wire your own. Try a heart, circle, or star design—anything with simple angles—and place your frame in a pot that has been filled with a mix of sand and potting soil.

Next, transplant the greenery while being sure to maintain the roots and water well. Weave the stems of your plant along the frame and secure them with twist ties. Establish a care regimen based on your chosen plant’s needs.

Ivy and Moss Topiary. Photo: Susa's Topiary Zoo

For 3-D designs, you can ditch the pot and go with sphagnum moss and a store-bought frame (unless you’re a whiz at wire bending). For this type of shape, the easiest plant choice is ivy or creeping fig, as both grow quickly and have flexible stems. Pack the frame with moss that’s been misted with water; make sure it’s damp. Then separate out strands of ivy and gently insert them, root first, into holes in the moss that you’ve formed with your fingers.

Over time, the plants will root within the moss and grow to fill the shape. Maintain your tabletop topiary with judicious pruning and water (whenever the topiary feels light) by soaking in a sink. Rotate occasionally to ensure consistent growth on all sides.

For more on garden design, consider:

Vaux & Olmsted’s “Other” Central Park
7 Popular Ground Covers to Enhance Any Yard
The Winter Garden: Hedge Your Bets

How To: Make Tabletop Topiaries Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Mistletoe Kissing Ball. Photo: webclipart.about.com

After decking the halls and decorating the tree, there’s only one thing left to do—hang mistletoe.

By doing so, you are participating in a ritual that holds more than just romantic significance. In fact, mistletoe was once arranged in homes to welcome the New Year and ward off evil. And it was also hung on a baby’s cradle to protect it from fairies.

In the Middle Ages, mistletoe was actually banned from inclusion in Christmas ceremonies on account of its association with pagan ceremonies. Since then, it’s also been revered for its medicinal properties, including a reputation for curing epilepsy.

Botanically speaking, the plant isn’t so charming. As a parasite, it grows on the branches of deciduous trees with soft bark, sending out a thread-like root from its sticky berries. Existing on the host tree’s nutrients, parasitic mistletoe will occasionally starve a tree to its death.

Photo: classicalmedicinejournal.com

Unfortunately, thanks to a dry summer in the Southwest, the evergreen branch isn’t very easy to find. One of the main suppliers in the US—Tiemann’s Mistletoe in Priddy, TX—didn’t ship last season due to Mother Nature, and they weren’t able to resume this year (fingers crossed for 2013).

Luckily, there’s at least one state producing mistletoe: Lacey Stitt, of mistletoe.com, says the State of Oregon has no shortage of the holiday standard. The company ships across the US, usually within five days of ordering.

Lacey suggests taking the mistletoe out of its bag as soon as it arrives and hanging the plant immediately. If you wait to hang it, keep the mistletoe cool in the interim. Eventually, the plant’s leaves and berries will drop, but they should last through the season.

For more on holiday decorating, consider:

Deck the Halls with Holly Bushes
Easy Ways to Add Christmas Curb Appeal
10 Architectural & Appetizing Gingerbread Houses

Hanging Mistletoe at Christmas Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com