2019-02-01_Southern_Living

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FEBRUARY 2019 / SOUTHERNLIVING.COM

36

A SEASONAL GUIDE FOR GREEN THUMBS

THERE’S A LOT to like about an old Southern favorite called baby’s breath spirea

(Spiraea thunbergii). It’s among the earliest woody plants to bloom. Showy clusters

of small white blossoms festoon the length of its limbs in late winter and spring.

Wispy, arching branches with thin willow-like leaves form soft pillows of stems

and foliage from 3 to 6 feet tall and wide. The leaves of the selection ‘Ogon’ emerge

bright yellow in spring, change to light green in summer, and finish yellow orange

in fall. Combine it with broad-leaved evergreens, or plant it as a low, informal hedge.

Adapted to USDA Zones 6 to 8, it likes sun or light shade and well-drained soil.

Prune immediately after it finishes flowering. Â

YOUR FEBRUARY

CHECKLIST

TRIM

The leaves of liriope and

mondo grass often look

ragged and yellow by now.

Remove this old foliage by

mowing at 1 inch or using a

string trimmer. New leaves

will replace the old. Don’t

wait to trim until fresh

foliage emerges, or the

leaves will have cut ends

for the rest of the year.

PLANT

When spring bulbs are about

to pop from the ground, it’s

time to plant hardy summer

bloomers. These include

lilies, gladiolus, rain lilies,

crinums, callas, cannas, and

surprise lilies. Sprinkle bulb

fertilizer around them when

they begin to sprout.

CUT

As you see flower buds

swelling on spring-blooming

trees and shrubs such as

flowering peach, redbud,

forsythia, quince, Japanese

magnolia, crabapple, lilac,

Japanese kerria, and spirea

(at left), cut a few branches.

Place them in vases with

water so you can enjoy the

ensuing blossoms indoors.

Change the water about

every five days.

AERATE

If last year’s lawn was not

as lush as you would have

liked and your soil has a lot

of clay, compaction could be

a problem. To remedy this,

rent a core aerator and run

it over the lawn. Steel tubes

will extract plugs of soil

from the ground and drop

them over the lawn’s surface,

where subsequent mowing

and rain will disintegrate

them. This will help water,

air, and fertilizer to penetrate

and improve your lawn.

PLANT OF THE MONTH

Baby’s Breath Spirea

Enjoy three seasons of color from this easy-peasy shrub

BY STEVE BENDER

EASY DOES IT

Prune this shrub

lightly to maintain

its graceful form.