03.22 WB pages 01-03.indd - The Rappahannock Record

Northern Neck Master Gardeners Tipsby CarolAnne TaylorTime to pruneLate winter and early spring are greattimes to prune—before trees and shrubsbegin to put out new growth.Start with a clean set of tools; usuallyloppers and bypass pruners are all you need.Clean your tools between uses, or afterworking on a diseased plant, using Listerine,Lysol or rubbing alcohol. Look for andremove branches that are diseased or dying,rubbing or crossing, or growing toward thecenter of the plant. Then, step back andevaluate what you’ve done. Understandinga plant’s natural habit or shape will helpyou determine how to prune it.Trees: “Prune branches of deciduoustrees carefully, to the branch collar,” saidSusan Lindsey. “This is a ring-shaped arealocated where the branch meets the trunk.“Cut at a downward angle to prevent rainsettling on the wound.”When pruning flowering trees, take carenot to cut off flower buds. Some ornamentaltrees, such as cherry, plum, and crabappleform buds on old wood and should bepruned after flowering.For crape myrtle, strive for natural,graceful growth rather than cutting off thetop of the tree. Always remove suckers atthe base of trees.Evergreens require minimal pruning,just make sure to remove dead or diseasedlimbs.For pruning cuts and other tips, go toext.vt.edu and obtain publications 430-456 and 430-457.Shrubs: Deciduous shrubs requiremaintenance pruning to keep themhealthy and in scale. Determining thenatural shape of the shrub is the firststep. To maintain height in moundingshrubs, like azalea and spiraea, prunethe longest branches with the cuts wellinside the shrub mass.To reduce the height of shrubs with acane habit, like forsythia and nandina,remove the tallest canes by sawing themat ground level.Holly Society to meet March 31 in GloucesterThe Colonial Virginia ChapterHolly Society will meetMarch 31 at the Hampton Innin Gloucester. Registration willstart at 9:30 a.m. Speakers willbe George Machen and GeorgeMcLellan.There will be plant andbook auctions and tours toMobjack Nursery and Brentand Becky’s Chesapeake BayFriendly Teaching Garden. Thefee, including lunch, is $18 perperson. For reservations contactEvelyn Parker at 757-868-0496, or parkerew@aol.com byMarch 22.Lilian Lumber CompanyHome CenterStorewide savings, New lawn, garden & patio items arriving dailyAnniversary CelebrationApril 13-14 th15115 Northumberland Hwy., Burgess • 804-453-4911NewItems Daily!Antiques, Home AccessoriesFurniture, JewelryNice ThingsCarter’s Cottage Consignments17410 General Puller Hwy.Deltaville, VA 23043Four doors east of Hurd’sMake sure you know your plant beforepruning or you may remove this year’sflowers. Some hydrangeas flower on oldwood, some on new wood.Evergreen shrubs grow best with lightand air. Prune deep inside the plant andcut out small portions to create holeswhere light and air can reach. This keepsgreen leaves deep inside the plant and notjust on the outer edges.Obtain Publication 430-459, or callNorthern Neck Master Gardeners at 580-5694.Upcoming events include the 19thannual Gardening in the Northern NeckSeminar March 31 at the White StoneChurch of the Nazerene. Save the date.The topic is “Watershed to Water’s Edge.”To register, call 580-5694.Trained and supervised by VirginiaCooperative Extension, Master Gardenervolunteers provide the community withresearch-based gardening and horticulturalinformation. Visit nnmg.org, or calla county Extension office.804-776-7878Green fingers are the extensionof a verdant heart.–Russell PageRain gardensto be programtopic April 14Friends of the Rappahannockvolunteers recently dug a2-foot-deep and 20-foot-squarehole which they filled in layerswith gravel, pea gravel andRappahannock Gold soil at thePlacid Bay Civic Associationcommunity building near OakGrove.The rain garden was builtand donated to the NorthernNeck Chapter of VirginiaMaster Naturalists for its free“After the Storm: A Water ShedEvent” program from 10 a.m. to3 p.m. April 14 at the site. Visitnorthernneckmasternaturalists.org, or call 224-0014.I have never had so manygood ideas day after dayas when I worked in thegarden.–John Erskine www.masonrealty.com“FLYAWAY” One of the mostbeautiful waterfront propertiesin Middlesex! 3 bedroom,3 bath home overlooking theRappahannock River, off-shorebreakwaters – Over 1,500 ft ofwaterfrontage…. An extra buildinglot, waterside pool with bluestonedeck, boathouse, sand beach &spectacular sunrise & sunsets!(Home can be purchased withoutextra lot) $1,695,000 www.stevenandjeandarman.comBAYPORT – Rappahannock RiverViews – Sweeping views withsand beach access! 2 bedroom,2 bath home with bonus room.Large eat-in kitchen, big deckoverlooking river. $289,500 wind wsWindows on the Bay is printed annually in March. Ifyou would like to be included next year, please call theRappahannock Record at (804) 435-1701 or the SouthsideSentinel at (804) 758-2328 and ask to speak to someonein the advertising department.2013 Advertising deadline: March 1, 2013Please mention this guide to our advertisers.14 • windows on the Bay •