Prune immediately after blooming in the spring, but no later than September 1 or you will get little or no blooms the following spring.

BOB: The best "rule of thumb" is to prune them within 30 days after they finish blooming. This will allow them time to form new flower buds for next year. [More about pruning shrubs] BOB: Golf courses use a variety of grass (bentgrass) that can withstand short mowing. Your home lawn needs to be cut at 2-1/2 to 3 inches. Remember: The longer the blade the deeper the roots.

Since these plants bloom on previous year's wood, they should be pruned after they bloom or else you will sacrifice flower buds. Pruning should be done within six weeks after blooming. This is also a good time to feed them. We recommend Merrifield Flowering Plant Food, a high phosphorous formula that will promote flowering. These plants should be pruned in the early spring before the new growth begins to emerge. Bigleaf, Oakleaf and Climbing Hydrangeas are an exception to this rule.

The proper tool for most pruning is a sharp clean set of bypass pruners. Anvil pruners should not be used for roses as they crush the stem being cut. A saw or lopping shears may be used to cut very large canes (1/2 inch diameter or greater) All pruning cuts on canes greater than 1/4 inch diameter should be sealed with nail polish or glue to prevent cane borers from entering. Proper pruning will help keep a rose bush healthy.

Never prune when there might be frost that would kill subsequent new growth. The best time is generally March in our area.

Azaleas are rhododendrons, part of the Ericaceae or Heath family. Plants commonly called azaleas have thinner, more pointed, hairy leaves. The plants commonly called rhododendrons and azaleas are different enough, however, that they seldom cross-breed. Deciduous azaleas lose all their leaves in winter and are genetically different enough from the evergreen types that they rarely cross breed. Cultural requirements are pretty much the same for all rhododendrons, including the deciduous azaleas.

Climbers are generally divided into two basic groups. One time bloomers and repeat bloomers. One time bloomers are pruned after flowering similar to the way you would prune your bush roses. Select the 4 or 5 strongest canes and remove the rest, cut these canes back to 5 leaflet leaves and tie them back up. On repeat bloomers prune at the same time as your bush roses keeping the 4 or 5 strongest canes.

We prefer to suggest non-chemical means of battling bugs. Knock them off the plant with a strong spray of water. If you feel inundated, you can initially treat with an insecticidal soap or an ultra-refined horticultural oil. Spray every 7 to 10 days as needed. Verify there is a new infestation before spraying again. I have hundreds of tiny bright orange bugs on my milkweed plants, particularly the seedpods. I thought they were strange aphids, but today I noticed a bunch that was bigger.

Fertilize Azaleas immediately after they bloom with a good 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer. This will promote vigorous new growth for the rest of the season. Repeat the application in late May or early June, for growth. In September, apply a specialized Azalea food. This fertilizer will usually have camellia and gardenia written on the label as well. These fertilizers are high in phosphorus (the middle number) which stimulates the bud set before going into winter.

For mild winter areas hybrid teas and grandifloras have a much greater range for pruning height than those grown in cold winter climates. In most cases these plants can be cut back as low as 18" or as high as 4 ft. In either case select four or five healthy evenly spaced canes and prune those down to a bud at the desired height facing the exterior of the bush. This will cause the new canes to develop outwardly producing an open more desirable shape.

The main objective of trimming and pruning is to shape the bonsai into the desired form and to reduce growth above ground in order to maintain a balance with root growth. The process of shaping begins when the tree is very young and is on-going as it continues its growth. Trimming is accomplished by using a sharp scissors or shears. This traditional tool is called butterfly shears or bonsai shears and is used for removing foliage and light branches.

Answer: Hybrid teas, floribundas and miniatures are pruned on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Don't prune climbers-they bloom on old growth. Of course, a light grooming after their spring bloom will keep them in bounds. Likewise, it is not necessary to prune antique or old garden roses unless you want to give them a light grooming to control the overall size of the bush. To see pruning techniques demonstrated on actual rose bushes, join the Houston Rose Society and come to our February meeting.

No, PlumSmart is not prune juice. Prune juice is made by soaking dried plums (prunes) in hot water and then extracting the juice and solids. PlumSmart is made from fresh plums. The juice is extracted almost immediately after the fresh fruit is harvested. However, the plums are of the same variety as those which are dried to make prunes. PlumSmart delivers all the digestive benefits of prune juice, but is clear, tart-crisp, and refreshing.