Early Month
1. Transplanting: Transplanting time started in
late February and continues into March.
a. Pine. Transplant pine as soon as
the candle shows movement and until the growth of the candle
stops and the needle buds come out like pimples around the
candle. This is about the same time that the Japanese
flowering cherry (akebono) blooms in the Bay Area,
mid-March.
b. Deciduous trees. Most deciduous trees can be
transplanted after the buds begin to show the GLOW and until
they start growing.
c. Old junipers. February and September are the
best months for transplanting these trees.
d. Ume (apricot). Transplant after flowering and
until the leaf buds start to move.
e. Crabapple, karin (Psuedocydonia sinensis), and
akebia. HOLD transplanting until October once the
flowering starts. When transplanting all flowering and
fruit/berry-bearing trees, they should have a sprinkle of
either bone meal or Magamp-K (7-40-6) over the coarse gravel
in the bottom of the pot.
2. Pollination
a. Akebia and karin. These plants
bloom early and require artificial pollination. For
successful pollination, there should be two or three trees
of each sex on hand.
b. Crabapple and bittersweet. Protect blossoms
from the rain. Bittersweet will require one male tree for
several female trees.
c. Proper FALL FERTILIZATION will determine the flowering
success on flowering and fruit/berry-bearing trees
Mid-Month
3. Grass materials
a. Grass materials require transplanting more
often than other plant materials. They become dense quickly,
and should be split or divided as needed.
b. Grooming Sasa bamboo. Give a "crew cut," leaving the
first node above the base.
4. Trimming and bud-nipping
a. Cryptomeria and needle juniper.
Trim back to the desired height and length of foliage on
each branch. Transplant a couple of weeks after the
trimming.
b. Maple bud nipping
1. Check on the buds' growth EVERY DAY and
nip the buds as they come out.
2. To maintain the present size and form, nip the center
of the bud just as it begins to open.
3. To allow the tree to grow larger, nip the bud after
the second leaf opens.
4. If you want to enlarge the trunks of trees in
cultivation, or if a tree is healing from scars or wounds,
do not nip the buds&emdash;just let them grow.
Late-Month
5. Insects. As the weather starts to warm up,
aphids will attack the tender new leaves. Spray with diluted
(1/2 normal strength) Malathion.
6. Transplanting
a. Citrus trees, gardenia, and pomegranates. Begin
transplanting now.
b. Crapemyrtle. Wait until April.
c. Maple. Missed transplanting earlier? There is a
second chance to transplant just after bud growth ends,
but before growing begins again.
d. Camellia and Sasanqua (camellia family). Transplant
immediately after blooming. Camellia roots have a
tendency to form a coil, so take time to uncoil the roots
when transplanting.
e. Wisteria. Transplant before flowering. Do not
remove the seed pods after blooming in order to keep new
growth to a minimum.
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March Work
Schedule
