By Kristina Howley, Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Photographs courtesy of Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
There’s not much that is more satisfying than seeing your garden plants emerge after they have been asleep for the long winter months. However, most gardeners know that when springtime comes, plants can wake up at very different times. That said, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way you could check to see if your favorite shrub made it through the winter well before it leafs out? You can! Read on as Kristina at Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrubs shows you how to check your dormant plants for signs of life in three easy steps.
Step 1 – Scrape test
Take a pair of pruners or a knife and scrape a stem. Check the spot to see if it has green or tan underneath. Green means your plant is still alive (left). Light tan means the branch is dead (right). If your scrape reveals tan, try another branch. Sometimes a branch or two will have died back, but the rest of the plant is fine.
Step 2 – Bend stems
Take a stem and hold it in two places. Gently bend it and if the stem is rounded, it’s likely still alive. If it snaps easily, that one is dead. Check another stem.
Step 3 – Growth check
Keep an eye out for growth at the base of the shrub. There are times when the top has died back, but the roots are alive to push up new growth from the base (left). This can take time. So wait a few weeks before you dig up your plant.
Philodendron are fabulous house plants. And there are a wide range of these plants from tried-and-true varieties to exciting new selections you may not have heard of yet. click here. for a great article from our friend Justin who writes about several of his favorites.
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