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.

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. See similar questions...

Most major pruning on deciduous plants (plants that loose their leaves in fall) should be done when the plant is dormant. During the growing season, a plant's leaves contain food, in the form of sugars. Removing these leaves, before they are able to send this food back down to the plants roots in fall, will rob the plant of essential food and stunt it's growth. See similar questions...

Pruning is a simple and easy gardening task and just requires a little knowledge. First you need a pair of hand shears or hedge shears. If you need power tools, its probably not pruning that needs to be done, and if it is, call a professional to do it. First and foremost, make sure the blade is sharp. The cardinal rule is to prune back to a branch or bud, or you will leave a stub that can cause disease in the tree. See similar questions...

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

Yes, many trees and shrubs can be pruned during spring. However, spring blooming plants (azaleas, rhododendrons, forsythia, lilac) should be pruned after they flower. During early spring, some plants may bleed, but this causes no permanent damage. See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

It really depends on the type of shrub you are needing to prune and if and when it flowers. Pruning flowering shrubs at the wrong time can affect the blooming. For shrubs that flower on new growth: they should be pruned early in the spring before blooming. Pruning in the spring will encourage new growth and more flowers. Examples: Blue Mist Spirea, Anthony Waterer Spirea, Potentilla. Shrubs which bloom on old growth from the previous year should be pruned AFTER flowering. See similar questions...

When doing a new planting, use one part Spring Earth mixed with three parts of soil as a backfill. For plants already in the ground, add a 1" topdressing each spring and fall under the plant leaves in the area defined as the drip line. See similar questions...

Yes. Many plants are available for purchase during spring when weather conditions are generally favorable for plant establishment. Plant early, after danger of frost and before summer stress. See similar questions...

Yes. However, wait until the soil has a chance to warm up. Maintaining a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is all that is necessary. See similar questions...

Most chemicals will deter deer to some extent. However, when the population is high (as it is now due to the mild winters recently), a dog or a fence may be the only cure. Rhododendrons with a heavy indumentum (fuzz on the underside of the leaves) are not popular with deer and are usually not bothered. Some of the cultivars known as "Yaks" have this indumentum. Among the most popular plants are 'Mist Maiden' and 'Ken Janek. See similar questions...

Spring flowering shrubs bloom on twigs that grew the previous summer and therefore should be pruned in the fall following flowering. Summer flowering shrubs bloom on new wood that grew earlier this growing season and should be pruned in the spring before new growth starts. ? back to top See similar questions...

Answer: Pruning is a dwarfing, stimulating and stressful event. It's best to start most pruning January or February. However, diseased or dead limbs and root suckers can be removed at any time. In the fall plants are slowing down and entering a dormant period. The dormant period is a physiological stage where buds cannot be forced to grow even under ideal conditions. Trees and shrubs are moving compounds from the leaves and branches and storing carbohydrates in the trunks and roots. See similar questions...

The ideal time to prune deciduous (or hardwood) trees is when they are dormant. On some flowering trees you may want to prune right after flowering. Conifers may be pruned any time of year, but pruning during the dormant season may minimize sap and resin flow from cut branches. For a complete guide to pruning, check out the U. S. Forest Service's publication on How to Prune Trees. Again, when the job is too big, it's time to hire a Certified Arborist. See similar questions...

You should not attempt to prune any vegetation growing near or on any overhead power line. Only specially-trained line clearing professionals should work around power lines. For more information about working with qualified tree professionals and to view a list of independent tree care contractors in your area, visit Tree Trimming Crews. See similar questions...

Yes, rhododendrons may be pruned if required. Most azaleas and rhododendrons usually look best in their natural state, but pruning may be required for various reasons. Bushier plants can be encouraged by pinching out the terminal buds. (If the growth buds are all about the same size, branching will probably occur naturally. Be careful here and don't pinch out the flower buds, normally much larger than the growth buds. See similar questions...

BOB: While there are a few trees (Oaks and "fleshy rooted" trees) that should only be dug in the spring, most plants today are containerized or balled-and-burlapped (B+B) and can be planted anytime of the year. [More about shrub planting and tree planting] See similar questions...

Pinch back Mums and other flowers that are beginning their vigorous spring growth. By lightly tip-pruning these types of plants, it will keep them more compact, preventing them from becoming long and leggy. See similar questions...