I’m sure you have noticed spring color is starting to appear in plants now. It is a good time to install plants so you will be able to enjoy the beautiful spring blooming season. Spring is probably the most colorful time of year in your landscape. Right now you are seeing Okame Cherry trees blooming with pink flowers as well as some Red Buds with pink-purple buds before starting to flower. Some other great spring flowering trees are Dogwoods. Regular Dogwoods are the first to bloom of the dogwood varieties with white, pink or reddish pink blossoms. Next are the Stellar Pink Dogwoods, which have a beautiful pink bloom, that flower as soon as the leaves appear. After this, the Kousa Dogwood blooms with white flowers that appear after the leaves have come out. Some other good spring blooming trees are Yoshino; Autumnalis; Kwanzan Cherry; Eastern and Forest Pansy Redbud; Saucer, Jane, Royal Star, Sweet Boy and Merrill Flowering Magnolias; and Krauters Purple Leaf Plum.

Spring blooming shrubs are the most widely used plants in landscaping. Among these, Azaleas are probably the most popular since there are several varieties of growth habit and colors to choose from. Some other spring blooming shrubs that are widely used are Rhododendron; Pieris; Coast Leucothoe; Elf Mountain Laurel; and Viburnum that has several varieties to choose from. Otto Luyken Laurel is a great plant to use because it has a white feathery bloom and can also be used as a foundation plant. Take a look at your landscape to see where some spring flowering plants could enhance the appearance of your property.

Now is also a good time to spread crabgrass pre-emergence to prevent this spring and summer weed from coming up. Try using Pennington Crabgrass Preventer with Balan because it can be used on almost all lawns.

Happy gardening.