A Guide to Spring Yard and Garden Care
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
A Guide to Spring Yard and Garden Care
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
With the mild winter, it seems like the urge to work in the yard and garden has come earlier this year. The good news is that there are some things that can be done early. However, there are a few tasks that should wait until we are further out of the danger zone of cold weather.
One major reason to delay spring cleanup is that winter debris can protect pollinators and overwintering insects. Butterflies and moths typically overwinter in chrysalids in dead leaves and plant stalks. Native bees hide in a variety of places depending on species, including leaf litter, underground burrows within an inch or two of the surface or hollow stem cavities. Disturbing their winter havens early can increase death loss when a cold snap comes along.
Normally, February is still within the ideal window for winter pruning. However, this year it should be done cautiously. If the tree or shrub is still dormant, then it is safe to prune. If the tree is starting to come out of dormancy, then you need to be careful about how and when you prune. Heading cuts, which are pruning cuts that remove only part of a branch, should be avoided once a tree starts to come out of dormancy. This is because it can trigger the lower buds and encourage growth.
However, as long as the weather is above 40 degrees for at least 2 more days, you can still make thinning cuts. A thinning cut is when you remove an entire branch or stem. It’s also okay to prune any damaged or dead branches. This can be done any time of year. It’s important to note that for trees that are budding out, there is an elevated risk of frost damage this spring that could kill sections of the tree and require further pruning later. Although trimmed hedges are not common around here, late winter and early spring is also the best times for trimming to allow for rapid recovery.
After pruning trees and shrubs, you can turn your attention to other plants and projects. Raspberries, gooseberries and currants can often be pruned in March (later in March may be better). If you have compost, this is also a good time to rotate or transfer the compost. You can spread finished compost on flowerbeds and the garden, but still need to wait a little longer before mixing it in.
Typically, by late March, we also recommend applying dormant oil if needed. Dormant oil is used to kill overwintering pests on trees such as aphids, scale insects, mites and leafrollers. Using dormant oil may need to be done earlier this year because it should be done when buds are tight but not swelling or leafing out.
For the most part, trees don’t need fertilizer. However, if you’ve had nutrient issues in the past or have production fruit trees, spring is the best time to fertilize in late March to early April.
When April comes, you really dig into spring cleaning. Once temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees, it is safe to do the rest of the perennial bed cleaning, which may include removing old above-ground growth, cleaning up leaves and so on. April is also the time to transplant trees, shrubs and perennials, including berries. Summer and fall flowering perennials such as hosta, daylilies and mums can also be divided this time of year. Spring-flowering perennials should be divided in the fall.
Also, during April, start monitoring your soil temperature. When soil is consistently 40 degrees F or higher, you can plant early cool-season crops such as carrots, broccoli, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes and spinach. Onion sets can often go in as early as mid-April.
Lawn growth is often inconsistent in the spring based on soil moisture and location within the yard. It may benefit from a mow by late April to allow for more even growth and help clean it up. Early spring lawn fertilization is not as important as fall fertilization. However, if you want to boost spring green-up, it can be done in April. If you only want to fertilize once in the spring, aim for around Memorial Day.
Trees should be budding and leafing out by April or early May. Monitor them for winter damage. If fungicides are necessary, these are typically done in the spring. Read the label now and mark your calendar, so you know when to apply. Some fungicides need to be applied more than once.
Living in Montana is always an adventure, as is gardening. Enjoy the mild winter and make the best of it because it might not be the same next year! For gardening or plant questions, contact the MSU Extension Office in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or allison.kosto@montana.edu.
