Nancy Mellen Garden Design

It's the icy time of year; therefore, be careful putting down deicer on your walks near your gardens. It's preferable to use kitty litter or stone dust, but if you have to use a salt based product, make sure to put gypsum into those gardens to help wash through the salt.

A walk through your yard at this time of year is beneficial to make sure none of your plants have frost heaved out of the ground, large branches haven't fallen into the gardens, or branches on ornamental trees and shrubs aren't broken. It is safe to cut off any dead or broken branches at this time. If there is so much snow on trees or shrubs that you are afraid that they will be damaged, remove the snow by gently lift the branches with a broom from below to gently shake off the snow.

February is when you can start pruning shrubs and trees. If they are spring bloomers, don't prune until after they flower. If they are summer or fall bloomers, you can prune in winter. It's always smart to double check online to see when is the best time to prune your special shrubs and trees.

Any new plants that you have planted or moved to a new location in your yard this year, should be watered regularly until we have a hard frost. Enjoy the fall color, use your leaves as nutritious mulch to keep your plants warm in all your gardens, and only prune branches that are dead. Likewise, please think before you cut down perennials. If they are prolific self seeder you can dead head them, but remember native perennial's seed heads will feed the birds over the winter. Don't rake out your gardens as there are beneficial insects overwintering there. Let's all work towards ecologically healthy yards.