Flowering Shrub Type Examples When to Prune How to Prune Spring-blooming shrubs (bloom on old wood) Lilacs, forsythias, azaleas, weigelas, traditional bigleaf hydrangeas Prune immediately after they finish flowering in spring. Remove one-third to one-fifth of the oldest stems every two to thre...
Rejuvenation Pruning:Cut the entire shrub or oldest branches back to 6 to 24 inches above the ground (depending on the plant). Make clean, angled cuts to prevent water pooling on the cut. Also called hard pruning, this revitalizes neglected or overgrown shrubs and promotes fresh, vigorous gro...
Identify the white flowering tree by its size. The Northern Catalpa grows 40 to 60 feet tall, but the Southern magnolia can grow up to 80 feet in height. European olive, Carolina silverbell, sourwood, pear and cherry trees can reach 35 to 40 feet tall, while the crabapple, mountainash,...
HOW TO GROW VEGETABLES & HERBSMany beginning gardeners find the process of growing their own food rewarding, and not as difficult as they anticipated. Whether you’re looking to start with just a few tomatoes or you’re planning to create a full-fledged kitchen garden, doing your homework on...
Commonly known as the butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii is a hardy, summer flowering shrub which is very easy to grow. All it needs is a sunny, open position and to be pruned hard in early spring. The plump nectar-rich flower spikes of this fast-growing deciduous shrub are very ...
Learn how to plant, grow, and prune your lilacs, one of the most carefree spring-flowering shrubs and provide a sweet, haunting fragrance, too!
Look for long, narrow but slightly wider leaves that are non-lobed, smooth and shiny with fine double teeth along the edges to identify the shining willow (S. lucida). This short-trunked, shrub-like willow tree grows up to 25 feet tall and has smooth, light to reddish brown bark. The...
Prune out all dead, damaged, or diseased stems. Entirely remove all dying or dead canes. Check the center of the canes as you prune to identify diseased stems. If the core of a cane is brown and withered, the stem is diseased.
Species Roses, Old Roses, and Once-Blooming Shrub Roses Generally hardier than other roses, these more primitive types bloom first on old wood mid-summer; re-bloomers repeat on the current season’s growth. In early spring, remove diseased, broken, or dead branches. After flowering, prune li...
•Scale– these stationary insects hunker down on leaves and stems, often protected by a layer of wax; control by spraying a horticultural dormant oil before bud break; check with local extension service to identify the species and time treatment ...