Garden work in high gear with tools, plants to look after

As busy as you are during the spring season, don't forget to take care of your garden tools and equipment. Sharpen lawn mower blades after every eight hours of use. Sharpen hand pruners and spades as needed. I prefer to keep very sharp edges on these tools.

When putting Felco pruners back together after sharpening, it is important to get the correct tension when tightening the center bolt. Too tight and the pruners will stay closed; too loose and branches will bind up in the blades as you are pruning.

A small folding handsaw with a 6- to 10-inch blade is a very useful tool. The small size makes it easier to cut branches in tight areas and the small teeth make a smooth pruning cut. Remember that curved saws cut on the pull stroke. Some blades are brittle and will snap easily if forced to cut on the push stroke or if the blade becomes stuck in a cut.

General garden careWarm weather can push plant growth and bring out the insects. Monitor your plants for early signs of problems #8212; yellow, spotted or stippled foliage; stunted leaf growth; curled or cupped leaves; holes in flowers or foliage. If you see insects, remember not all bugs are bad. Some are beneficial and will help to manage the damaging ones. Most insects feed for a short period of time and are then gone from the garden. When treating for any problem, always use the least toxic method first.Even with dogs and a chain-link fence, my garden is getting some rabbit damage. Exclusion is the best control method for preventing rabbit damage.If rabbits, or digging dachshunds, are a problem in your garden, bury wire mesh fencing 12 to 18 inches deep in the soil along the base of your fence. Staple the mesh to the fence to keep it in place. It is also a good idea to bend the mesh so it angles in toward your garden to discourage animals from digging under it. Pinch fall-blooming plants such as chrysanthemums and hardy asters to control their size and increase production of flowers. Pinching will induce side branching, producing bushier, stockier plants. Make the first pinch when the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall by removing about 1 inch from the tip of each shoot. When the resulting lateral branches reach 6 inches, pinch them as well. These plants should not be pinched later than July Fourth in the Chicago area, as flower buds are formed at this time and late pinching can delay or prevent flowering.My definition of a weed is a plant that is out of place. A good time to weed is when the soil is moist #8212; the roots come out more easily. It's very important to get weeds out early, before they go to seed. A small hand weeder or trowel is helpful. If you spray herbicide on weeds, mix in a marker dye so you can see what has and what has not been sprayed. The dye will wear off on its own after a couple of several days of irrigation or rain. Be careful about spilling the dye on garage floors or clothes, though, as there will likely be a permanent stain.Mowing is one way to control weeds if you are developing a large, natural prairie area in your garden. Native plants typically develop their roots, not their foliage or flowers, in their early years, which gives weeds the opportunity to gain a foothold. Mow weedy areas now at a high height to cut back the weeds and keep them from choking out the native plants. In small areas, weed by hand. This is a good time to cut some of your outdoor flowers for indoor display. Cut flowers during a cool part of the day and put them in water as quickly as possible. Bring a small bucket or plastic container into the garden so you can plunge the stems into water. It's easy to bring insects inside with the flowers, so you might want to rinse the blossoms and foliage in the sink before placing them in a vase. As you make your arrangement, remove any foliage that will be under the water. Add a preservative to the water to lengthen the life of the flowers. Place your arrangement out of direct light in a cool room. Change the water and remove faded flowers daily to prolong the display. Trees and shrubsImproperly staking a newly planted tree can cause more damage than not staking it at all. Materials used for staking should be elastic; if the tree trunk is restricted and cannot flex in the wind, it will not grow as wide and strong. I generally avoid staking, but I consider it when the new tree has a large, dense crown or loose root ball and is located in a windy site. June is a good month to shear your hedges to encourage dense growth. Plan on pruning again in July.Shear formal hedges slightly wider at their base than at the top. This helps keep the foliage full by ensuring that the sides of the hedge receive equal sunlight from top to bottom. Many hedges in the home landscape are pruned improperly so they are wider at the top than the base.LawnsIf you had trouble with grubs in your lawn last year, June is the time to treat for them. Typically you will see damage from grubs feeding on the roots of the grass when there are 8 to 12 grubs per square foot. The lawn will brown out later in season, when hot and dry weather increases stress on the lawn. Raccoons and skunks will dig in lawns for the grubs. Use a granular insecticide labeled for grubs and water it in after applying. Apply your control before the middle of July.When using power equipment such as a weed whip in the garden or for lawn edging, wear protective glasses and earplugs. The plastic line can kick up debris that could injure your eyes or sting your legs if you are wearing shorts. The line can also injure the bark of trees. Some equipment can be loud, making earplugs especially important if you are using equipment for an extended period of time. I use ear muffs when mowing the lawn and whenever I use a leaf blower.#376;Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden. 15002075When cutting flowers to bring indoors, do it during a cool part of the day and put them in water as quickly as possible. Bring a bucket of water to the garden to plunge the stems immediately after cutting. 22581500 23861500Treat your lawn this month to prevent or treat grub damage. Damage done this month will show up later in the season in the form of dry, brown patches.