4. Cut down clematis vines
5. Situate the cold frame
6. Start seeds and cuttings
7. Unplug the Winter birdbath and set up the Summer one, 8. Make sure birdhouses are clean and in good repair, 9. Start pulling back mulch in garden beds, adding some compost and organic fertilizer, and remulching (That's going to take awhile!) And 10. Most important of all, Take a walk through your garden everyday to see what's coming up! Happy Gardening!!!
Love your blog and wanted to be the very first to leave a comment! The pictures of your garden are spectacular.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got a lot to do! When is the RI Spring Flower Show?
So this is when you cut down your clematis?(type 3, right?)
I took my potted roses out of the garage. I hope that there's no frost in the near future as they have leaf buds all ready. Can't wait until annuals start being sold at the garden shops!
Happy Gardening to you too!!
Hi JoAnne, Thank you for your comments and Welcome to Green Sneakers! The RI Flower Show takes place in February and always seems to be scheduled the Thursday through Sunday of Presidents Day Week. I never miss it! About Clematis, some say ABC, others 123...it's all the same. Pruning group 3(C) is a very large group of clematis including Sweet Autumn, Jackmanii, and Betty Corning. They are the easiest to prune: Cut all stems to about a foot from the ground, leaving 2-4 sets of buds per stem. Walk away and wait for the show! With Groups 1 and 2 it's more a matter of cutting out any dead or damaged stems and trimming back any weak stems to a set of strong new buds. Rebloomers are usually in Group 2, like Henryi and Nelly Moser. I'm trying something a little different this season that I saw on an old garden show...I think it was Erica Glassner's A Gardener's Diary. I cut back all my clematis stems at different heights. I'm hoping it will extend the flowering time and rejuvenate some of the vines at the same time. I'll let you know how it goes! I've added a photo of Sweet Autumn Clematis on our shed just for you.
Delete