January 2021

PRAIRIE COUNTYH O R T I C U L T U R E

PRAIRIE COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION183 EAST PRAIRIE STREET

DE VALLS BLUFF, AR870-998-2614

AMY GREENWALT CARROLL UAEX PRAIRIE CO AGENTUAEX PRAIRIE COUNTYPRAIRIE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS

Amy TallentAgriculture Agent

agtallent@uaex.edu

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to alleligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion,age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. 

When is the best time to move plants?

We are often asked what time of year is best for moving established treesand shrubs to a different location in the landscape. Deciduous trees andshrubs do best when moved during the winter months while dormant. A frostdoes not cause them to enter dormancy. The temperature has to be 32degrees or below for several hours or more to prompt them to enterdormancy. Although the plant parts above ground become dormant, theroots continue to grow. Transplanting at this time reduces stress andincreases the chance of survival. Evergreens may be moved in late Octoberor early March. The first step is to choose a new site. Keep in mind theneeds of the plant. Do not choose a site in shade for a plant that needs fullsun for example. Be sure to account for the mature size of the plant you aremoving. It is pretty common to see trees or shrubs over-growing a sidewalkor driveway because the space chosen became too small as the plant grew. Once the new site is chosen, dig a hole at least twice the diameter of theroot ball. Do not put fertilizer in the hole. For a tree with a 2 inch diametertrunk, this would mean a hole at least two feet in diameter. Mark on the treewith chalk where the trunk enters the ground so you can replant at the samedepth. Carefully cut a trench around the plant you are moving and then digbeneath the root ball to lift it. Get as much of the root ball as possible. Severthe roots cleanly and lift the root ball onto a tarp to move it. Place the rootball in the new hole at the same depth it was planted in and carefully fill inaround the roots with soil up to your chalk mark. Water the plant. You willhave to water during the winter if it is dry. You may put 3 inches of mulcharound the plant but do not let it touch the trunk. In the spring you mayapply a granular tree and shrub food or a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10or 13-13-13. Larger plants are best moved by a company with the propertools such as a tree spade. Happy gardening.Sherrie Smith~ UAEX Plant Diagnostician

January 2021

Remember to

Soil Sample

January 2021

A herbicide containing glyphosate can be used on dormant bermudagrass lawns in Januaryor February when temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for winter weed control. Make sure your bermuda lawn is completely dormant or you will damage it.Mulch is important in protecting young plants from frost heaving. A 2 to 3 inch mulch willreduce heaving problems which occurs with alternate freezing and thawing. Newly plantedplants (2 inch potted plants) can be pushed completely out of the ground.Staking newly planted trees is recommended for large trees however, stakes should beremoved after the first growing season. Stakes should be loose to allow the tree to sway inthe wind. Trees allowed to sway develop a stronger root system and a sturdier trunk. A word on watering trees. Water as needed but let the soil dry down somewhat betweenirrigation. Waterlogged soils kill many tree species. Remember, plant roots need to havefresh air to breath, they will drown as you would in a bucket of water. Winter is pruning time for most landscape trees. You may need to remove lower limbs ofyoung trees each winter as it matures. Ideally you would want your lowest limb six feet fromthe ground. Do any corrective pruning while trees are young, removing narrow crotchangles, double forks, etc. Remember to cut limbs back to the trunk leaving only the smallridge. No sealants are necessary. You can expect a wound from a 1 inch limb to heal over bythe second year after cutting if not by the end of the first year. Larger wounds will takelonger to seal.Vegetable gardens need to be cleaned up if you haven’t done so. Winter cleanup reducesinsect and disease pressure for the coming growing season. This refuse probably needs tostay out of the compost pile. Our compost piles may not get hot enough to kill harmfulpathogens. Asparagus stalks can be cut back and beds need a new layer of compost (2 to 3inches).Till garden plots without a cover crop to expose overwintering insects to the winters cold. Donot till when soil moisture is high causing clods to form. Incorporate compost, animalmanures, etc. at the same time to garden plots needing organic matter. This winter, remove bagworm bags from shrubs which were infested this past summer. Eggswere deposited within the bags by female worms, shortly before they died. Physicallyremoving and destroying the bags will reduce or eliminate problems this summer.This is a good time of year to cut poison ivy vines from trees at the ground level and paint thecut end with full strength Brush-B-Gon or glyphosate. Handle vines with plastic gloves andwash up thoroughly to avoid itching results. Avoid the temptation to fertilize houseplants during the winter months unless they are undergrow lights or very high light conditions. When the temperatures are below freezing, avoid much contact with plant material outside.Frozen plants are brittle, and limbs can be broken easily. If ice or snow are on your plants,use caution around them. Heavy loads of snow can be lightly brushed off, but stay awayfrom ice-laden plants. You can't remove the ice without breaking off branches.

January Garden Checklist!

Do you have a green thumb and a

love for playing in the dirt? Become a certified Prairie County

Master Gardener! The deadline for registering for this online Master Gardener training isFebruary 12th, and you can find more information, as well as an applicationhere: https://www.uaex.edu/.../become-a-master-gardener.aspx

Print, fill out, and mail the application to Amy Tallent at PO Box 388 DeVallsBluff, AR 72041 to apply for MG training today!

MP 144, MP

154, and MP44

are available at

our office!

If I can help you any way in your lawn or garden pleasecontact me at 870.998.2614! I'll be happy to help!

January 2021