Posts Tagged ‘pruning’
Leyland Cypress – Regrow from Stump
Q: I cut back two Leyland cypresses that had grown too large. Will they regrow from a couple of feet tall or should I just dig them up completely? A: I think they’re toast. Leyland cypress can be pruned and...
Peach – Pruning to Open Center
Q: What does the open center system of pruning mean? We have a peach tree that is six years old and need to know how to best prune it. A: The “open center” method of pruning a peach tree results...
Crape Myrtles- Trimming
Q: My recently purchased home has a number of 15 – 20 feet high crape myrtles. They appear to have been improperly trimmed since the limbs have round “knobs” with sucker-like shoots coming from them. Can I trim the limbs...
Bradford Pear – Hatrack Pruning
Q: I have three large Bradford pear trees in my front yard, they are about 11 years old and beginning to split. Two years ago the owner of a house down the street (with a long driveway lined with Bradford...
Roses- Pruning
Q: This year when pruning my roses after blooming I noticed a small hole at the top of the stem. This hole goes back down the stem, which dies back sometimes as much as six inches. Is this caused by...
Maple Tree- Cutting
Q: I have three young maple trees that are very tall and skinny. Should I cut some of the top off to make the trees more full? A: Pruning the tops of the trees won’t make them become more full....
Burford Hollies- Pruning
Q: We have ten-foot tall ‘Burford’ hollies planted very close to our house. They are very difficult to keep pruned so we would like to know how short they could be cut back and not risk killing them. If we...
Tomato Sucker- Identification
Q: What exactly is a tomato sucker? Is the stem smooth or rough? A: The definition of a tomato sucker doesn’t have anything to do with smooth or rough. A sucker is just a young leaf that develops between the...
Crapemyrtle – Severely Pruned, No Blooms
Q: Our driveway is lined with Carolina Beauty crepemyrtles but we have yet to see any beauty in them. We have pruned them in every way possible. Why can’t we get a bloom out of these trees? A: I think...
Cypress- Knee Stopping
Q: I have a bald cypress tree. The knees have spread around it and I am worried about my parents tripping and falling on them. Is there a way to stop these knees? A: Although bald cypress does not usually...
Loropetalum tree- Landscaping
Q: Is there a loropetalum tree? One has been suggested for our landscape but I’ve not been able to find it. A: We’ve learned a lot about loropetalum in the last fifteen years. The first thing learned was that there...
Pruning- Drought
Q: Will pruning English laurel, gardenias and other shrubs now harm the plants? How does drought affect my plans? A: Pruning now will stress them somewhat, particularly if the soil is dry. The shrubs’ natural response to pruning in warm...
Schefflera- Trimming
Q: I have a very large schefflera in a five gallon container. It lives in front of a big window indoors in the winter and on my deck in the summer. How do I trim it before I take it...
Shrub pruning – Water
Q: Will shrubs like azalea, tea rose, and boxwood need less water if I prune them back by one-third? A: A plant’s water use is affected by a host of factors. Age of leaves, vigor of root system, humidity, light...
Apple tree – Maintenance
Q: I have an apple tree that I have never thinned or pruned aside from shaping it. It’s getting really thick inside and I have no idea what to do. A: Prune the apple tree in three steps. First, remove...
Blue Junipers – Pruning
Q: Please tell me when and how to prune blue junipers. We have some that are getting too big. Debra Staples, email A: The best time to prune junipers is right after new growth begins, probably in mid- to late...
Drought – Pruning
Q: Our subdivision is scheduled for deep pruning of shrubs this winter. Due to the drought, is this wise? Should we get spring rains, how late can we safely perform the deep pruning? A: I don’t think it will hurt...
Crapemyrtle – Losing Branches
Q: Can you tell me what is wrong with this crepe myrtle? It is losing its branches. A: One of the results of chopping off the top of a crapemyrtle in winter is lots of lush growth the following spring....
