having grown up in livonia.. let me suggest mid sept thru october is your prime planting time...

warms days... with cool nights .. and warm soil .. allow the plants above to recover in the cool night.. while the warm soil allows the roots to get established.. before the onslaught of next summer...

where are you getting your stock ...

you can buy potted stock in july/august.. if you must.. and put them in shade.. and keep them properly watered until PROPER PLANTING TIME ...

link below to a pretty good tutorial on planting ...

try to avoid bigboxstore stuff that has been abused all summer.. unless a great discount.. and fully warrantied .... and then still expect losses ...

if you are having this professionally done.. you do it whenever they want to ... i am talking about trying to make it foolproof for the inexperienced ....

last july/august in adrian mi ... was near 100 every single day.. and total drought.. i am sure you can appreciate.. why that is NOT the proper planting time... since you must rely on the vagaries of mother nature.. and if you dont know.. she can be very *itchy at times.. lol ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I have read the link - Thanks Ken, and I'm removing the last of the plants in the bed today. My issue now is the discovery of this awful vine stuff. I've pulled it out in the places I've already dug out plants, I've tried to get every root, and piece I can see, but it comes back.
Since I am not going to replant the bed until September with the Hydrangeas and boxwoods, what is the best thing to do to kill off all the weeds residing in it?

Yes, the yellow is a blooming groundcover, but at this point I"m willing to sacrifice it if need be. Every part I dig up brings up the weed vine as well.
The link said avoid the use of landscaping cloth, paper, cardboard, etc. to prevent the weeds from coming up. How do I kill this evil vine and it's cousin weeds?

I want my shrubs to have the best chance of survival possible so I don't know - can use a general weedkiller that will be gone by September?

i would spray with round up ....

leave it be for a week or so.. to find out what i missed...

then spray again ... let dry and immediately ...

cover in 3 inches of mulch...

then come planting time.. pull back mulch.. plant PROPERLY ... but do NOT get any soil on top of the mulch ...

then move mulch back.. and enjoy next spring...

ken

ps: the trick to spraying RU is to remember.. it is not french perfume.. LOW PRESSURE.... equals no drift.. you dont atomize it.. low pressure.. big drops...

Thank you! I can do that - but - I need to add several inches of soil/compost to the bed since I've been told the dirt is pretty well "worn out" and I've lost some grade. At what point can I do this? After the roundup spray and I know the weeds are dead and before the mulch?

I usually kill all visable weeds, add a layer of compost, cover the compost with paper bags from the grocery store or newspaper, and then mulch. This way I am ready for the next planting season when it comes. I lay down a tarp nearby and scrape the mulch away, remove what is left of the paper where I want the hole to be, and then dig the hole, placing the soil on the tarp so that it doesn't get mulch mixed into it. Don't fertilize in the fall and never fertilize right at planting time. I keep the paper in place between the plants, but not right around the new root zone, just to make sure I can use my fingers to monitor the moisture levels.
I think your idea of limelights and boxwoods sounds lovely!

worn out soil???

that sounds like salesman BS ... which in fact.. you would be better off with the BS... aka composted manure... lol ...

whats next.. he will want to sell you fert ... and plant hormones.. and .. and.. crikey ...

fixing the grade is a different issue.. and must be done ...

i would get a high quality MI peat type soil ... and add 4 to 6 inches.... and both grading.. and adding the good soil .... do you know how to buy SOIL????

==>> anyway... you can buy things now.. and HOLD THEM OVER... until planting time.... DO YOU KNOW HOW.. whats your source.. talk with them ...

you may not find what you want.. in fall ... unless you are ordering from a reputable nursery ....

ken

ps: DIRT is what you have all over you.. and the house.. after you play in the SOIL .... words mean things ... and if your seller cant discuss the difference between a quality soil.. and dirt.. find a better supplier ....

I would think Hydrangeas would be a poor choice for a southern facing, full sun exposure, front yard.
Mike

Ken, were you a trial attorney in a previous life? Because the only other person I know that requires your level of precision in informal discussions IS a trial attorney ;o).

It is used up dirt, soil what ever you call it, it is crap. It had evergreen shrubs in it for 50 years with little or no help, and the shrubs were ripped out, leaving a grading issue since the roots were so massive, and dirt that was basically tapped out of the good stuff plants need to thrive. Thus, the need for more healthy soil, compost, and yep - cr*p. Cow to be specific.

I said soil - I meant the nutritionally deficient weedy, stuff in the empty bed. I already have soil amendment for clay areas, high quality manure, and good soil. So, Yes I KNOW how to buy them.
Back to my original question- Do I use the round up before or after I make the additions to the bed or should I not add anything for a time after the roundup?

dirt /dÃÂrt/ Noun

A substance, such as mud or dust, that soils someone or something.

Loose soil or earth; the ground.

Synonyms
filth - muck - soil - mud - grime - earth - dirtiness

Botann - Hydrangeas are actually very popular and do really well in this area. The type I'm using also like more sun than many hydrangeas.

Liz321 -

Hydrangea paniculata cultivars like Limelight should be fine as you say. I have two H. paniculatas that are in sun from about 7AM to 8PM at this time of year, and they are just fine. I wouldn't grow H. macrophylla hybrids in full sun, however.

The link says to not use plastic, landscape cloth and woven fabric, but that newspaper and cardboard are OK for weed prevention. You just want to stick with things that rot. Having newspaper or cardboard under the mulch will definitely help with weed suppression.

Your instincts on timing of addition of the soil amendments and killing off your weeds with Glysophate (generic is much cheaper than Round-up brand) was right. "At what point can I do this? After the Roundup spray and I know the weeds are dead and before the mulch?"

This post was edited by nhbabs on Sat, Jul 13, 13 at 21:31

I wasn't familiar with the variety 'Limelight'. I know paniculatas can take sun. I have one mostly in the sun and it's doing fine, except for the deer and elk. They love it. I am going to move it this Fall.
I grow a lot of Lacecaps in the shade and so far the animals have left them alone. Love em'!....the Lacecaps, that is.
Mike