Why would anyone prune spring flowering shrubs in the autumn season? After a long cold winter, why miss out on the delightful fragrance of lilac and viburnum flowers the following spring? Predicting how cold, warm, or dry the coming winter season is rarely possible. Pruning cuts are wounds and weather extremes may cause injury to […]
Archive for the ‘Pruning’ Category
Shrubs You Should Not Prune In Fall Season
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2014
Posted in Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Deciduous Azaleas, Deutzia, Failure to Bloom, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Forsythia, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Insect (Pest) Problems, Lilac (Syringa), Mahonia, Ninebark, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Shrubs You Should Not Prune In Fall SeasonMy New Favorite Pruning Shears
Posted by Hugh on September 22nd, 2014
When stepping out to work in the garden, a pair of hand pruners (shears) is the first tool in my pocket or belt pouch. A good pair of pruning shears is indispensable to snip off old spent flowers and stems from perennials such as hostas, daylilies, peonies, etal; shrubs like rhododendrons, lilacs, hydrangeas; to clear […]
Posted in Garden Maintenance, Perennials, Pruning, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized Comments Off on My New Favorite Pruning ShearsFall Blooming ‘October Skies’ Aster
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2014
From Maine to Texas, the aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum (Aster) oblongifolius) are great garden performers in the fall garden (USDA hardiness zones 5–8). The cultivar ‘October Skies’ is one of the best. Plants are covered with lavender blue flowers (up to 1 ¼ inches in diameter) from late September thru late October. Each flower displays a gold button center. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, mulching, Pruning, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Blooming ‘October Skies’ Aster‘Tamukeyama’ Japanese Maple One Of The Best
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2014
Tamukeyama Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Tamukeyama’) is a long-lived botanical treasure (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Tamukeyama is a short 6-8 feet tall multi-stemmed deciduous tree. It grows slightly taller and its foliage tolerates hot summer sun better than ‘Crimson Queen’. Tamukeyama grows best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers moist well-drained soil and […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact tree, compost, Container growing, Disease resistant, Japanese maple, Maples (Acer), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on ‘Tamukeyama’ Japanese Maple One Of The BestAvoiding Crape Myrtle Hardiness Problems
Posted by Hugh on August 15th, 2014
Late summer (September 1st) is your deadline to plant crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) in USDA hardiness zone 6. Your primary objective should be to grow deep plant roots. Crape myrtles are classified as perennials in northerly areas of zone 6. In many years their woody branches die back after a cruel cold winter. The hardy […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Aphids, compact shrub, compact tree, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, mulching trees, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Avoiding Crape Myrtle Hardiness ProblemsExclamation™ London Plane Tree Is A Game-Changer
Posted by Hugh on August 13th, 2014
Exclamation! London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia Exclamation!™) is probably one the most improved cultivars to date (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Exclamation! was introduced by Dr. George Ware at the Morton Arboretum and released through the Chicagoland Grows® program. Exclamation! develops a strong central leader, a uniform upright pyramidal shape (when young), a vigorous growth […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Large Shade trees, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Sycamore (Platanus), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Exclamation™ London Plane Tree Is A Game-ChangerTall Sedum – The New Mailbox Plant
Posted by Hugh on August 7th, 2014
Tall sedums (Sedum x spectabile) are a popular late summer blooming perennial often nicknamed “showy stonecrops” (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Members of the succulent plant family, tall sedums have thick round leaves and are recognized for their drought resistance. Star shaped flowers are clustered in colors ranging from whites, pinks, and reds, depending on the […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tall Sedum – The New Mailbox PlantFour Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To Delight
Posted by Hugh on August 4th, 2014
During my annual summer travel to public gardens around the U.S., several clumps of old-timey hostas that were popular in the 1960’s and ’70’s caught my eye. These hosta beauties still own their garden place. Here are listed only four, but there are so many more. ‘Gold Standard’is an old-time favorite. In August multiple pink-lavender […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hosta, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To DelightPlumleaf Azalea – Late July Flowering Shrub
Posted by Hugh on July 30th, 2014
Plumleaf azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) is a native deciduous azaleas that indigenous to the Chattahoochee River Valley on the Georgia-Alabama line (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). The bright orange-red blooms surprise in late July to early August. Compared to many of the spring blooming species, flowers are not fragrant. Fall leaf color is uneventful. This 5-8 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), compact shrub, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, mulching, Planting tips, Plumleaf azalea, Pruning, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plumleaf Azalea – Late July Flowering ShrubMimosa Tree- Love It or Weed It
Posted by Hugh on July 8th, 2014
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) is essentially a 4-5 month ornamental tree indigenous from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). From late spring through summer, mimosa struts an attractive fine textured foliage and beautiful flowering. This small tree rarely leafs out until mid-May (in zone 6) and offers little in autumnal leaf color. Two seedling forms, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Butterflies, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Invasive plant, Mimosa tree (Albizia), Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mimosa Tree- Love It or Weed It
