Every spring, I look at my garden and ask "Is this dead or just a slow starter?"
In Ottawa, spring doesn’t always arrive with a flourish of green; sometimes, it looks more like a collection of sticks and brown mulch. If you are standing in your yard staring at a motionless shrub, you aren't alone. The "Is it dead yet?" panic is a rite of passage for every local gardener. Because our climate can be unpredictable, many of our favorite plants have evolved to be "deep sleepers" to survive the freeze.
For those new to the dirt, the best way to check for life is the Snap Test. Gently bend a small outer twig on your shrubs or trees. If it snaps cleanly like a dry cracker, that specific branch is likely toast. However, if it bends or reveals a hint of green under the bark when scratched with a fingernail, the plant is simply hitting the snooze button.
Experienced green thumbs know that the "scratch test" needs to be performed strategically. If the tips are brittle, move further down toward the main trunk or the crown of the plant. Often, winter desiccation kills the tips of evergreens and roses, but the core remains healthy. If you see green cambium (the layer just under the bark), your plant has a pulse!
The Late Risers Club
Patience is a virtue, especially with "late bloomers" that don't even think about waking up until the soil is consistently warm. If you are worried about the following plants, give them until at least early June before you call it quits:
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Perennial Grasses: Popular grasses like Karl Foerster grass or Zebra Grass can look dry and messy if they've been left through the winter. Grasses will typically start to grow in late May, and they fill in quickly if its a sunny spring! You can cut back any old growth once the ground has thawed, but don't throw in the "trowel" until early June!
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Perennial Hibiscus: These are the ultimate procrastinators of the garden. They often look like dead grey sticks until late May, then suddenly explode with growth. Since perennial hibiscus die back to the roots, you can cut these long stems to about 4" short while you wait for the new growth to emerge from the soil.
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Hydrangeas: Depending on the variety, these can be slow to leaf out, especially if they are recovering from a particularly harsh Ottawa frost. Panicle (woody) Hydrangeas bloom on old wood so don't cut these back too soon!
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Coneflowers (Echinacea): While hardy, these perennials often wait for the spring rains to subside before showing their first leaves at the base.
Before you dig anything up, remember that the "rising sap" in our local maples and birches is the first signal of life. If the trees are waking up, the rest will follow soon. Give your garden the "Three Week Rule": if you don't see a bud or a green sliver three weeks after the last frost, then it might be time to come visit us!
Something Doesn't Feel Right?
If something seems out of the ordinary, like missing bark, sap oozing out, or an evergreen that's never-green, snap a picture and send it to our email or our social media direct messages. Together we can determine if your plant is a late bloomer, a rabbit magnet, or if there is something else going on in your garden!