Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Yardening 7, March 2014, 3 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
AH, yes! Today sure felt like spring....
1"-4" of snow predicted Sun. to Monday. Lets hope it is winter's last Hurrah!!

I spent about 5 hours outside. Once I start--I cannot stop....

I fertilized my lawn with Milorganite--took before pics of my grass in 2 places--
so when my lawn turns lush green in a couple weeks--I will have proof how well it works.

Decided to tackle trimming back a couple of my shrubs. The conical hemlock
by my front door--and the Boxwood(s) in front of it.
I have two of the Hemlocks. trimmed the other one last fall.

Used my electric Hedge trimmer. It went faster than before--as I used to trim them all
by hand with my pruning shears and manual hedge trimmer.
It may look a little "scalped" but the new growth will take care of it.

These are really old--and should, probably, be limbed up.
I was in my step stool and also teetering on my 5' ladder to get the very top.
Had to prune some of it by hand anyway. This did a number on my right hand...

Still have the two Junipers to go. It HAS TO BE done! No ifs and ands...or buts...
I know it is not good for my hand--holding that heavy trimmer and hand-cutting the fatter
branches...SO? What else is new? My Chinese gardener is on vacation.

I also, patiently, sat and pruned back my Piilu Clematis. Two more Clematis to go.
Now is the time! Also need to dig and divide my big ferns. Time for that too.
Mamma Mia!!! It is beginning....

1&2--Here are the two trimmed shrubs
3--Here are the two monster Junipers to go yet. Will use the hedge trimmer on these too--
bit they also have some fatter stems it will not cut through.

Just FYI---These Junipers are the original foundation plants when we bought the house
in 1969. I have kept them trimmed all these years. The huge snow in 2009
did a number on them--they did not use to lean forward this much.
You should see them from behind???? It is like all fat, gnarled huge stems. May dead....
Birds do nest in these--I think.
G.