Volunteer Chuck Dierling cuts and removes dead cattails and other perennials at the New Hanover County Arboretum.
flowering bulbs
Enjoy their beauty. Cut and bring them inside for their fragrance and cheer. The time to fertilize bulbs is right after they bloom. Use
Bulb-tone or a similar product. DO NOT cut back the foliage while it is still green. The plant is producing food at this time, which it will
store in the bulb for next year’s growth. Foliage can be removed as soon as it has turned brown and is easily pulled out of the ground, not
before, or next year’s bloom could be sacrificed.
cleanup
Now is the time to clean up all dead leaves and branches and dispose of them. Cut back all of the dead tops of perennials while many
of them are emerging. Some perennials are late to come up, though, so don’t be alarmed. Also, pull up last year’s dead annuals that may
not have been removed.
watering
Get hoses and sprinklers out of storage, turn on outdoor faucets and test the irrigation system so you’ll be ready to go when your garden
needs water.
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WBM march 2013