FAQ For August

Keep your garden going strong with answers to these frequently asked questions.

Got an Ugly Landscape Feature?  Half Hide It!

When you think about it, there are quite a few items that landscapes commonly have that – well…a homeowner would rather not be all that visible to visitors or themselves. They include cable boxes, electrical pad mounted transformers, dog runs and water hydrants.

Pruning Broadleaf Shrubs

The month of March and throughout the rest of spring is a good time of year to prune shrubs in the landscape.

Prune Your Shrubs Now?  It Depends

Here’s a quick quiz – when do you prune your shrubs? When they get too big for the space they are growing in, when you think about it or when they look shabby? For many of us, the answer is all 3. Pruning your shrubs in a horticultural sense depends on 2 things: when they bloom and their age.

Fall is for Planting Shrubs

The phrase “Fall is for Planting” is a common one in the horticultural world and for good reason. One of the best groups of plants to install in your landscape in fall is shrubs. Here’s why:

Spring Tree and Shrub Planting

On the Heels of Arbor Day – May is a great time to plant trees and shrubs.  Once the site has been analyzed for adequate room and the purpose of the tree has been identified (shade, fruit, screening, color), it’s time to focus on getting the roots in the ground. First Things First First, dig…

Seven Sons in Fall

In the fall, there are just simply fewer landscape plants that offer great appeal. Sure, goldenrod, asters, plumbago, turtlehead, sedums and mums should be a part of just about any landscape, but the ratio of spring and summer bloomers is probably about 3:1 or even more. For that reason, let’s highlight one more fall appealing plant – the Seven Sons tree/flower/shrub.

Euonymous, Anyone?

In this case, you might want the shrub or vine, euonymous, but not the common euonymous scale insects that often infest them. In fact, in some landscapes, the scale infestations are so common that budding horticulturists and entomologists often think that the symptoms and signs are a natural occurrence, as in “they’re supposed to be there”.

Watering New Trees and Shrubs

Many new trees and shrubs are planted in April, May and June. By far, the two most important considerations are implementing the proper techniques for planting and watering.

Outstanding Shrubs for Winter Interest

Evergreen shrubs offer greatly needed color and texture in the midst of winter, but deciduous shrubs should not be overlooked; many provide strong winter appeal as well. By choosing shrubs for their exceptional form, structure or bark, beauty and color can be added to the winter landscape as well as year-round appeal. Here are just a few shrubs that feature amenity in both the dormant and growing season.