Our plan for 2019 is to hold work sessions in the Town Hall Gardens on alternate Thursday mornings starting Thursday, May 2nd.
Serious rain will cancel. Or a rain call will be made by 7:30 am.
Work Plan: Weeding, planting, topdressing with compost in some areas, rabbit protection in some areas, and scouting for pests and diseases. Check one dogwood in Area 1 has anthracnose due to all the rain and might need to be replaced. We will see when the leaves are fully open.
Rabbits are eating the cotoneaster and have begun chewing on the bark of the old azaleas. Install garlic stakes on new cotoneaster at grotto. Spray after the next rain with Critter Ritter or Deer-Off.
Areas 3 and 4 still have dead wood and a large dead crown in a dogwood in Area 4 that needs surgery. Areas 3 and 4 at the lawn oval have invasive plants but we will remove them next year when there are dogwoods to replace and more mountain laurels and Korean Azaleas to infill the existing ones.
**There will be a demo of heading back the overgrown Japanese Yew in Area 4 next Thursday. Discussion will include preserving the shape as well as reducing the size in height and girth. This may include follow-up pruning in six months to redirect those sprouts that shoot straight up.
We will continue this technique on some of the other oversized shrubs in area 3 and 4, with the understanding that the azaleas, mountain laurels and Mountain Pieris are supposed to be clusters or masses growing into one another.
Invasive vines will sprout up so ongoing removal will continue each week. Digging the root out is best. Just cutting the top is okay if the root is hidden.
Mona will talk about elm tree cultivars at the next garden club Thursday work session.
Update
Pruned one overgrown upright Japanese Yew area 4. Sprayed rabbit deterrent and use granule fox urine P E W! Areas 2, 3, 4 Piled spiny branches on the small cotoneaster as an experiment area 2
We can cut bits of thorny rose and barberry and stick it all around the plants.
Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage House
Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.
Emily’s cell / text:617-750-0106