Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some of the questions that we are commonly asked at Verbeeks Farm and Garden Centre.
Q - What time of the year and how often can I divide perennials?
A - Generally, divide plants when they are dormant or close to dormancy. In our area, this would be fall through spring, whenever the soil can be worked. Avoid dividing in extreme hot or cold weather and in very dry and wet conditions. Plants that have tubers and fleshy roots, such as iris and peonies as well as other spring bloomers, may appreciate being divided more in the late summer or early fall timeframe—after they bloom—to give them time to become re-established and maximize their bloom the following spring.
Q - When can I plant annuals and vegetables?
A - Plant your annuals, vegetables, and perennials after the danger of frost has past.
Q - When should I prune my Hydrangeas?
A - Hydrangeas, though, can handle pruning (which, if done at the wrong time, may be the cause for the lack of flowers), and sometimes you might want or need to cut them back a bit. For example, you may not like the look of the fading blooms or your shrub may be a bit too tall. Pruning hydrangeas can also improve a shrub’s vigor and increase the size of its flowers.
Not all of these shrubs should be pruned at the same time. Those that bloom on old growth should only be pruned after flowering. Others bloom on new growth and should be pruned before they wake up in spring or as they are going dormant in fall.
Q - When is the best time to plant trees?
A - In general, the best time for planting trees is late winter or early spring. This period is typically followed by a period of moderate weather in the North, during which the new transplant will have time to become established. If that does not fit your schedule, then aim for autumn. Summer is a bad choice, because the weather is too hot and the actively growing plants are too susceptible to damage. Weather also restricts your options in the winter (at least in the North), because the cold causes the ground to freeze.
