landscape maintenance. regular maintenance soil maintenance –ph and nutrient testing &...
TRANSCRIPT
Regular maintenance
• Soil maintenance– pH and nutrient testing & maintenance– Amending– Weed control
• Plant maintenance– Irrigation
• Mulching
– Pest control (insects, disease, other organisms)
– Pruning
Irrigation
• Water supply to a plant– Limited by root system
• Improve soil drainage, reduce soil compaction to improve root growth
– Avg. soil absorbs 3/8” water per hour• Slow, less-frequent deep watering better
than frequent shallow watering– Soaker hose– Drip irrigation– Basin watering (berm)
Irrigation
• Hand watering• Sprinkler irrigation
– Good for lawns, densely planted beds– Wastes water (evaporation, unplanted areas)– Can promote foliar diseases– Fixed heads/risers– Portable heads
• Drip/trickle irrigation– Reduces water usage by >50%– Can apply fertilizers– Nozzles, pipes can clog
Irrigation
• Mulching/ground covers reduces frequent watering needs
• Standard 1/2” residential pipe can handle one irrigation head (install ¾”-1” piping if plan to irrigate)
• Generally need 1” water per week– Lawns 1” per week– Woody plants 3-4” total every 4 weeks
• Newly transplanted woody plants need to be watered weekly (1st year), every 2 weeks (2nd year)
Pest control
• Choose plants with minimal pest problems• Insect pests are often vectors for disease• Chemical control
– Contact poisons vs. systemic pesticides– Synthetic vs. organic
Biological pest control
• Gardens Alive• Home Harvest
Why prune?
• Sanitation– Broken branches & dead tissue
• Diseased parts• Opening canopy
– Increase air flow; reduce humidity– Increase penetration of sprays
• Removal of undergrowth for appearance and fire prevention
• Stimulate new, vigorous growth
Why prune?
• Enhance reproduction– Yield enhancement– Fruiting shoots vs. non-fruiting shoots– Increase flower size– Fruit distribution, size, sugar content
uniformity– Access to fruit
Why prune?
• Manipulate physiology– Pre-transplant root pruning– Shoot tip pruning to promote
branching– Stimulate new growth on older plants
Dwarfing• Bonsai
Pruning tools
• Sanitation• Branch size and pruner damage
– Hand pruners (< 1/2 inch dia.)– Loppers (< 2 inch dia.)
• Maintain sharp tools– Clean cuts heal faster
Pruning principles
• Cutting is irreversible• Breaking apical dominance changes
form of plant• Pruning invigorates regrowth• Pruning can direct growth• Timing of pruning is critical
– Spring flowers develop on previous season’s growth
– Summer and fall flowers develop on current season’s growth