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These Roses truly are a Knockout! Knockout roses in yellow, red, pink, double red and double pink make incredible displays blooming all summer, low maintenance, great disease resistance. It's no wonder they are so popular.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of May.

• After Azalea blossoms fade, it’s time to invigorate the full-size ones with renewal pruning. That means removing one-third of the stems completely – to the ground, or close to it, choosing the oldest for removal. If you need to reduce the overall size of the shrubs, the remaining, more vigorous stems can also be shortened. Small stems (less than pencil size) should be removed. Other shrubs that benefit from renewal pruning include Abelia, Deutzia, Forsythia, Mockorange, Spirea, and Weigela. With all of these, wait until the blooms have faded.
• For maximum blooms next year, remove the faded lilac blooms.
• Prune away dead, damaged and diseased stems and branches when you notice them.
• Feed your roses once this month (then again in June and July and once in October).
• Plant new shrubs and trees, watering well and continuing to water weekly through their first season in your garden, unless it rains (and thunderstorms don’t count!).

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of April.

Trees and Shrubs

• Feed roses this month and monthly through July, and Rosetone is a popular choice.

• It’s a terrific time to transplant or plant new trees and shrubs – both the evergreen and the deciduous types.

• Prune back early-blooming shrubs (as desired) that have finished blooming, such as forsythia, quince, witchhazel, winterhazel and wintersweet.

• Prune your late-blooming hydrangeas now, if they need it (to reduce the size). That means H. paniculata types, like ‘Tardiva’ and ‘Annabelle.’ Don’t touch your moptop or lacecap hydrangeas, though, or you’ll prune away this year’s blooms.

• Prune your roses if you didn’t do it in March (preferred) and do it SOON. and Miri Talabac says, “Our old rosarian who used to work here always recommended a dab of Elmer’s glue on the cut cane to discourage borers and prevent cracking from water seepage in freezing weather.”

• It’s also a fine time to prune broadleaf evergreens like cherry laurels, including the popular ‘Otto Luyken’. Full-grown cherry laurels need regular renewal pruning and they need it bad. (We like the definitions of renewal pruning and other good pruning info here.

• Cut back butterfly bushes and Caryopteris to 8-16 inches or so.
• After they’ve flowered is the perfect time to prune azaleas, which probably really need it (unless you’re on a regular yearly schedule of maintenance and rejuvenation pruning).

• Apply dormant oil spray to any trees and shrubs (except blue spruce) that are plagued by scale insects or mites.

• Watch for tent caterpillars in cherry trees especially, and if you spot one, grab and destroy their tent with a stick. That can mean simply opening it up to the birds, or tossing it into a plastic bag you put out for the trash.

• Watch for viburnum-beetle egg cases and prune them away before the larvae hatch.

• As the soil warms up, it’s a good time to apply organic fertilizers like Holly-tone (for acid-loving plants) and Plant-tone. Another option is to apply a top dressing of compost around the base of the trees or shrubs.

• As fruit trees begin to bud and leaf out, now’s the time for preventative pest and disease spraying to start. Many pesticides/fungicides suitable for edible plants will require multiple applications, and bud-break is the starting point to begin attacking fungal spores and insect eggs before they get settled onto or into your trees. Follow package instructions, since each product is different, as are the correct rates of use for specific trees at different stages of growth.”

by Miri Talabac, Behnke's Woody Plant Buyer.

Viburnum - Mother Nature's Aromatherapy
(March) Fragrant flowers add a wonderful dimension to your garden. Imagine stepping out of your car at the end of the work day to the fragrance of cloves.... Each viburnum is slightly different, all are delightful. Viburnums are fantastic multi-season shrubs that no garden should be without. There are many native and other species to choose from, but lets focus on those wonderful fragrant varieties that many gardeners have come to know and love.

The earliest of the Viburnum groups to bloom, these various species, like the familiar Korean Spice, are known for intoxicating fragrance and ease of culture. Full sun will get you the heaviest flower set and best fall color, but partial shade can also keep plants a less stressed during a hot, dry summer. Moist, well-drained soil is ideal, and plants will take slightly acid soils (our norm here) just fine. Prune only when needed *after* flowering, since flower buds form in late summer and autumn and you’ll prune them off if you trim during winter.

Deer seem to be indecisive on viburnums as a whole; some lists have them as resistant, some as susceptible to deer browsing. Since deer generally avoid scented plants, and since the leaves on these species tend to be slightly fuzzy or textured, they may leave them alone, but use deer repellent sprays if you’re worried about them.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of March.

Fruit

• When your strawberry plants start to grow, remove the mulch over them enough to allow leaves to develop in the light, then leave the mulch under the plants to help reduce weeds. If leaves develop under the mulch, they will become blanched and yellow from lack of chlorophyll, and may burn and die when exposed to the sun.
• Small fruits such as brambles can be pruned starting now through the bloom period. Remove the fruited, dead canes of brambles and any flowering canes that are weak, diseased or infested with borers. Fall bearing raspberry plants should have been mowed/cut to the ground, but if they haven’t, do so now.
• Now is the time to start routine pruning apple and pear trees. Start your pruning by removing dead, broken and crossing branches and keep younger trees trained with a central leader much like a Christmas tree shape. Peach trees should be pruned after flowering. For peach trees, maintain an open vase shape to encourage good air circulation and fruiting throughout. Shorten all the branches and thin out weak growth.
• Peach trees usually require an annual early spring application of a balanced fertilizer (i.e. 10-10-10) at bloom.

Shrubs and Trees

• March is still a good time to do your winter pruning - click that link for details.  Wait until mid or late spring to prune your spring-flowering shrubs and trees, so you can enjoy their blooms this year.
• March is a great time to plant or move woody landscape plants, as long as the soil isn’t soggy.  Avoid the most common planting mistakes: planting in compacted or poorly drained soil and planting too deep.
• Roses should be pruned starting in mid-March. Shrub types (not climbers, generally) should be cut back to about 18” off the ground and tiny canes removed entirely. Prune out any canes that criss-cross each other to ensure good air circulation and healthy stems. A dab of Elmer’s glue on the ends of the cut canes can help discourage rose cane borers, a type of beetle.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of February.

Miri Talabac’s Favorite February Tip

Remember to water your outdoor container gardens once in a while when the weather’s mild and the pots have thawed. Dry winter air, mild temperatures and sunny days can still cause dormant plants to loose water, which can be more damaging than injury from cold alone.

Larry Hurley’s Favorite February Tips

• Remember that it’s best to stay off of soggy, wet soil. Walking on it or “working” it with hand tools or tillers will compress it. Clay soils, which drain poorly to start with, will be made even worse by trying to work with them when they are wet.
• Buy Valentine’s Flowers and plants for your loved ones, and even your liked ones. Nothing compares to the color and fragrance of real flowers.
• Take some trips to the great greenhouses: United States Botanical Garden is always worth the trip downtown, and the Conservatories at Longwood Gardens are beautiful any time of the year.

Trees and Shrubs

• Winter is the best time to prune deciduous (leaf-dropping) trees and shrubs because you can easily see where branches rub against each other, spot dead or broken branches, and see how you might prune to improve form. Remove suckers and water sprouts, too.  But remember that you will be removing flower buds on spring bloomers, so be conservative if that is an issue.  Here’s more about pruning from the U. Md. You may notice excessive sap bleeding from pruning cuts on elm, maple, birch, dogwood, beech, walnut, magnolia, tulip poplar and redbud. This bleeding is harmless to the tree.
• What NOT to prune now? Anything that flowers in the spring (if you care about seeing those blooms).
• If you have yews or camellias, look for white cottony masses on the undersides of needles/leaves. These are scale insects and they should be sprayed with horticultural oil later in the season when the youngsters (aptly named crawlers) emerge.
• Got deer?  Now’s the season when they home in on our more expensive plants, like trees and shrubs.  So apply Liquid Fence or Plantskydd (our favorites) monthly.
• If/when it snows, try to prevent snow and ice from building up on gutters and eaves above shrubs. Gently sweep snow loads off of shrubs to prevent breakage.
• Remove and destroy bagworm bags from affected trees- principally on evergreens. The bags contain hundreds of eggs that will hatch out and feed next spring.
• This is a good time to inspect winter creeper and Japanese euonymus foliage for scale problems.  Prune out damaged leaves and control the scale insects by spraying the healthy leaves with dormant oil.  Be sure that temperatures are expected to remain above freezing for a 24 hour period after spraying.
• Hemlocks infested with the woolly adelgid can be sprayed with dormant oil any time in February – as long as the temperatures are expected to remain above 40 degrees for the 24 hour period after spraying.

Trees and Shrubs

• Winter is the best time to prune deciduous (leaf-dropping) trees and shrubs because you can easily see where branches rub against each other, spot dead or broken branches, and see how you might prune to improve form. Remove suckers and water sprouts, too.  But remember that you will be removing flower buds on spring bloomers, so be conservative if that is an issue. Watch for our free “how to prune” talks later this winter.
• Protect evergreens that are prone to winter burn – like boxwoods and hollies – with an anti-dessicant (Wilt-Stop) or protectant (Freeze-Pruf) now.
• If you have yews or camellias, look for white cottony masses on the undersides of needles/leaves. These are scale insects and they should be sprayed with horticultural oil later in the season when the youngsters (aptly named crawlers) emerge.
• Got deer?  Now’s the season when they home in on our more expensive plants, like trees and shrubs.  So apply Liquid Fence or Plantskydd (our favorites) monthly.
• If/when it snows, try to prevent snow and ice from building up on gutters and eaves above shrubs. Gently sweep snow loads off of shrubs to prevent breakage.
• Remove and destroy bagworm bags from affected trees- principally on evergreens. The bags contain hundreds of eggs that will hatch out and feed next spring.
• This is a good time to inspect winter creeper and Japanese euonymus foliage for scale problems.  Prune out damaged leaves and control the scale insects by spraying the healthy leaves with dormant oil.  Be sure that temperatures are expected to remain above freezing for a 24 hour period after spraying.

Trees and Shrubs

• To reduce the chances of  damage by rodents over the winter, clear away weeds and dead leaves from around the base of shrubs and trees, especially fruit trees.
• Check your Viburnums for egg casings of beetles and if you spot any, remove by trimming off the branch they’re attached to.
• Pruning of deciduous (leaf-dropping) trees and shrubs should be limited to removing dead, broken or diseased branches.   It’s fine to take some trimmings from your evergreens for holiday decorating, though.  Hollies, boxwoods and pines are great for this.
• If we have a heavy snow, try to keep it from building up on the gutters and eaves above shrubs.  Also use an upward motion to gently sweep snow off the shrubs to prevent breakage.
• It’s good to apply 2-3 inches of mulch this month if you haven’t done it already; just be sure to keep it away from the trunks of trees and shrubs.
• Newly planted or young trees can be fertilized this month, as long as the ground isn’t frozen.  Their roots continue to grow over the winter and benefit from the feeding.  Mature trees generally don’t need to be fed.
• If we have a dry spell of several weeks, water your newly planted trees and shrubs, especially the broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, azaleas and cherry laurels.
• It’s still okay to plant trees and shrubs this month, as long as the ground isn’t frozen.  However, it’s too late to transplant trees and shrubs from one spot to another in the garden – they wouldn’t have enough time to recover before severe winter temperatures.
• It’ll soon be time to spray anti-dessicants on your evergreens for the winter to help prevent wind-burn.  Products such as Wilt-Stop and Freeze-Pruf work well to minimize leaf browning due to low temperatures and excessively dry air that pulls the moisture from the leaves.  A light coating will do the trick for your broadleaf evergreens such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, hollies, boxwood, mahonia, leucothoe, etc.  (Spray the foliage once the temperatures stay cold and follow bottle instructions as to how lightly or heavily to coat the leaves.)

Trees and Shrubs

• If the month is dry, keep watering trees and shrubs so they’ll go into dormancy well hydrated – especially newly planted or transplanted ones.  Evergreens – both the conifers and the broadleaf types – are particularly vulnerable to winterburn from lack of hydration.
• Trees and shrubs can be planted until the ground freezes.  And lots of them are on sale or reduced in the garden centers (like Behnkes!).
• Fall is also a good time to fertilize trees and shrubs (up until the ground freezes).  Newly planted and very young trees and shrubs benefit the most from tree fertilization, also trees that haven’t been fed for 3-4 years and seem to be growing slowly.  (It’s rarely necessary to fertilize a full-grown tree.)  Apply a granular, low-phosphorus fertilizer under the tree’s canopy and 8-10 feet out from the canopy.  Trees that are surrounded by lawn get some fertilizer when the lawn is fed, so probably don’t need additional feeding.
• Deciduous (leaf-dropping) trees can be pruned this month after they drop their leaves and go into dormancy – it’ll be easier to see the structure of branches and determine what pruning needs to be done. Begin pruning by removing all dead, diseased branches and then make any necessary cosmetic cuts.  Don’t prune spring-flowering shrubs now, though (except to remove dead or broken branches) or you’ll just cut off their blooms. Wait til just after they’ve bloomed to do it.  Be sure to use sharp pruners or loppers; otherwise the could may not heal properly, leading to disease and insect problems.  And remember, try not to remove more than one third of the overall branches of a tree or shrub at any one time.
• Don’t prune evergreens (conifers or broadleaf like rhododendrons) now – wait until late winter or early spring (March or April).
• Don’t worry if your rhododendrons or conifers are showing yellowing and dropping of some of their interior older leaves – that’s normal for this time of year.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• It’s peak planting time, right up until the ground freezes.  (Why? They’re beginning to go dormant for the winter, so planting them now causes very little stress to the plants. And since they will have been in the ground over the winter, their roots will grow more vigorously in the spring. Also, you will not have to worry so much about watering them as often, once they have lost their leaves.)
• It’s also a good month for moving deciduous trees and shrubs; for evergreens it’s best to wait til spring if you can.
• If October is dry, give your shrubs and trees a good soaking.  Evergreens are particularly vulnerable to drying out over the winter, so don’t forget them.
• Speaking of evergreens, don’t panic if you see some browning or yellowing of the needles this time of year – that’s normal.
• DON’T PRUNE this month, except to remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood.   Pruning any more than that will encourage new growth that could first frost; anyway, the plant’s energies need to go to root development, not new leaves and branches.
• Also, don’t feed your trees or shrubs now.
• Plants that are susceptible to breakage can be protected with Shrub Guard plant protector wrap – and get it in place this month before the snows come.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of August.

Trees and Shrubs

• Water deeply, but not frequently. Shrub and tree expert Miri says: “For established plants, don’t water for brief periods every day or every other day – doing so can encourage fungal growth on the constantly wet surface and yet keep deeper roots dry, since the water doesn’t soak in very much and some of it evaporates.  Plus, watering that often wastes water.
  “Here’s the best way to water:  Soak thoroughly.  Soaker hoses and drip systems are best, sprinklers are second-best and hand-held hoses will do if you must.  Just make sure the root area is well soaked and that the water seeps into the soil at least 4-6 inches deep.  A guideline is to put down at least an inch of water, so if you use a sprinkler, measure how long it takes to fill a shallow can or dish about one inch deep. You’ll have to experiment a bit, but probing the soil down to about five inches gives you a better idea of how moist the roots are getting.”
• Miri also reminds everyone to get the last of our needed pruning done now, or wait until early winter to resume shaping shrubs or trees. Fall pruning can lead to a last-minute flush of tender growth that will be easily frost-killed and waste the plant’s energy.
• And a warning from Larry: “The stress of drought increases trees’ susceptibility to diseases and insect attack, especially street trees; take pity on them and soak the ‘hell strip’ between the sidewalk (if you have one) and the curb with water at least once every couple of weeks.  Your grass can go brown and come back, but trees…even ‘native trees,’ are a lot healthier with water in the summer.”
• Here’s another tip from Larry: “Trees dropping leaves or little acorns?  That is the plant adjusting to dry weather after a wet spring.  It’s normal.”
• Don’t fertilize trees or shrubs.  Doing it in August (or any time after July) will stimulate new growth at a time when plants are beginning to enter dormancy, and could result in excessive winter damage.
• Removing spent blooms on crape myrtles will encourage new growth and blooms.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of July.

Perennials, Shrubs, Trees

• Keep on top of weeding, especially the ones that have developed seeds,  while carefully avoiding scattering the evil progeny.   There’s lots more about weeding here.
• Water, but water deeply, rather than frequently.  Frequent, shallow watering will just encourage roots to stay at the surface, where they are vulnerable to heat and drought.   Click here for more info on watering your garden. Walk through your garden daily, if possible, to notice what plants might be needing a drink (and to spot and remove the worst of the weeds – the jungle-making vines).
• Chrysanthemums should be cut back by about half to encourage fall blooming (rather than later this month), and to create taller stems that don’t flop.
• Deadhead reblooming perennials and annuals to encourage rebloom, except for those with attractive or bird-supporting seedheads, which you may want to leave in the garden until winter.
• Many shrubs will rebloom if deadheaded, too – like many roses, spireas, and crapemyrtle.
• Remove dead, damaged or disease branches of shrubs and trees anytime.  Same goes for suckers and water sprouts.
• July 4^th is the traditional “last call” for pruning many shrubs that bloom next year on buds that are set this year (e.g., azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, early-blooming spireas).  So if you want blooms next spring, do NOT prune these shrubs after the 4^th.
• Except for roses, don’t feed your shrubs or trees now – wait until winter or early spring.  But do give roses their final feeding of the summer this month.
• While fall is everyone’s favorite time to plant, it’s okay to plant in the summer if you keep the soil moist, especially in areas with some relief from afternoon sun and heat.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of June.

Roses and other Shrubs

• Time to start deadheading roses that rebloom – to encourage those reblooms. Traditionally, it was recommended that spent rose flowers be removed down to the first leaf with 5 leaflets, but in recent years research has shown that the more leaves  remaining, the better.  Either way, the point is to remove those old blooms, which not only helps produce more blooms but also makes the whole plant look better.
• Keep an eye on your roses, and if needed, spray for aphids and other pests and diseases, like the ubiquitous black spot.  Bayer All-in-One Rose and Flower Care is recommended.
• Feed roses again this month with Rose-tone (monthly through July and once again in October to promote root growth).
• If you haven’t done it already, prune your spring-flowering shrubs IF they need it.  Mature, full-size shrubs usually need renewal pruning at least every other year.  From the NC State website: “Renewal involves removing the oldest branches of a shrub by pruning them near the ground, leaving only the younger, more vigorous branches which may also be cut back. Small stems (less than pencil size) should be removed. Plants pruned by renewal include abelia, deutzia, forsythia, mockorange, spirea, and weigela.”
• After rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias finish flowering, feed them with Hollytone.

Trees

• To help get your newly planted trees through the dog days of summer, use “Gator Bags”.   You can fill them with at least 14 gallons of water, which then drains slowly over several hours.  Gator Bags let you water your trees slowly without standing there with the hose for a long, long time.
• Once a week blast Alberta Spruces thoroughly with a jet of water to give them a drink, but also to wash away mite pest populations before they do permanent harm to the foliage.

Berry Bushes and Fruit Trees
(April) Behnke's carries a great selection of fruit trees and berry bushes for your edible garden. Apple, Apricot, Cherry, Fig, Peach, Pear, Persimmon, Plum, Pomegranate, Nectarine, Grape, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Jujube, Quince, Strawberry.

About Apples
Apples originated in Kazakhstan, at the dawn of civilization. The earliest humans in the fertile crescent of Mesopotamia probably ate apples as a regular part of their diet. Ramses II directed the cultivation of apples in the 13th century BCE. Many references to apples can be found in early Greek and Roman literature as well. Pliny the Elder recorded over 3 dozen different varieties.

Brought to America by the earliest colonists in the 1600's, apples were quickly established as an important part of our agricultural heritage. In the early 1800's, John Chapman - Johnny Appleseed - from Leominster, Mass established his fame and fortune by carrying apple seeds all over the mid-west. Read the rest of the article from Hollybrook Orchard, Behnke's Local Fruit Tree Supplier. Hollybrook Orchard has a great website full of information about many different fruit trees and berry bushes.

	Boxwoods Boxwoods are a tried-and-true evergreen, with a taste that deer disdain and tolerance of a wide range of conditions. Two hybrids, Green Velvet and Green Mountain, were hybridized from Korean and English boxwoods to combine great leaf color and hardiness. Unlike some boxwoods, which can blush a caramel-orange in the winter, these stay deep green and are hardy below -10°. Suitable for foundations, hedges, accents and containers, these boxwoods have moderate growth and even shapes with little to no trimming. Green Velvet will be rounded and reach about 4' tall and wide in ten years; Green Mountain will be more conical, at 5' high by 3' wide. They will take full sun to mostly shade, though are happiest in about half sun-half shade. They will take clay in stride if given enough drainage, but perform better with soil enriched with compost. Any trimming you wish to do is best done in early spring, so the new growth can cover up the cuts.
	Gold Mops - Chamaecyparis A descriptive name to be sure, "Gold Mops" is a soft, graceful evergreen that will add that golden splash of color to any spot in a sunny garden or container. Named for its upside-down mop look, it will form a tidy mound of yellow foliage (interior leaves are green) year-round. Not prone to pest or disease problems, and needing little to no regular pruning, they're a great accent to frame a doorway, driveway, or brighten that special spot it the yard. Plus, deer usually leave them alone!
	Twist N Shout Hydrangeas Why plant Twist-n-Shout? - like other hydrangeas in the "Endless Summer Collection," they bloom on both old and new growth, so the blooming season is extended - they are lacecap hydrangeas: small bud-like flowers in the center surrounded by large, showy ones, giving them a delicate, lacy effect - they provide multi-season interest with sturdy red stems and deep green leaves that turn burgundy in the fall - at maturity, they only reach 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, making them perfect as a foundation or container plant
	Crape Myrtles There's not many shrubs that can give you summer color like Crape myrtles and Butterfly Bush. There are so many heights and colors of crape myrtle available now that there's room for one in every garden. Peeling bark, summer flowers and colorful fall leaves make them multi-season winners! Butterfly bush also come in many colors and heights now, and several new introductions also have very low (or no) seed set to prevent unwanted volunteers and increased flower production. All are fragrant and live up to their name as butterfly magnets. Plant both crapemyrtle and butterfly bush in full sun and well-drained soil and they will reward you with color for years to come!
	Blueberries You can hardly do better than a blueberry for a multi-season, multi-use shrub! Flowers in spring start out with pinkish buds and open to white bells, and then provide you and the birds with crops of beautiful, tasty blue treats in summer. (Or pink! There's a new pink-fruited blueberry out now, called Pink Lemonade.) Foliage is seldom bothered by insects or disease, and gives you great burgundy, red, orange and/or yellow fall color. Bare stems in winter can be blushed orange and yellow on young bark. Give blueberries full sun if you want to maximize your harvest; in the wild you can find them in open woods where they receive partial shade, though they don't fruit as heavily. Soil should be well-drained and fairly acidic, which you can achieve with adding sulfur to your soil and monitoring the pH with a simple test kit. Aim for around 5.0 or even slightly lower. Blueberries are better equipped to handle wet conditions if in strongly acidic conditions, as this suppresses disease. Holly-Tone makes a great all-purpose fertilizer, and no regular trimming is needed. Both Highbush and Lowbush species of blueberry are native to the mid-Atlantic. If you have deer, you might need to net the plants to prevent browsing, but that will save more berries from the birds for you to enjoy.