… Q. I have several old apple trees in serious need of pruning. When is a good time to do this? A. Apple trees can be pruned either right after you harvest your fruit crop or in early March before the buds begin to swell. Regular pruning of these trees will result in a better fruit crop with larger, healthier apples. In all cases, be sure to sterilize your pruning tools with rubbing alcohol or a solution of nine parts water to one …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. What is the correct height to mow a lawn? A. Mowing lawns too short is one of the most common mistakes homeowners and lawn services make with turf. It is a good practice to mow your lawn high at 2-1/2 to 3 inches. In spring when the turf is thick and lush, you may need to mow more than once a week …
Type: Plant Info
… Beautiful five-to-nine-lobed leaves emerge early. In 8 years, the plant grows 5 feet in height with a 4 foot … fruits, mature in fall and turn a rich red. Fall color is outstanding, ranging from yellow to red to purple. This lovely small tree, native to the Far East, can be grown only in very protected …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Native to eastern and central North America, the red maple can reach a mature height of 40 to 60 feet and is used as a shade tree. In early spring before the leaves emerge, tiny red … a blue sky. The samaras, or winged seeds, turn bright red in early summer and then fade to brown and fall to the ground. The cultivars of red maple are much more consistent with good …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This bugbane is native to northern Asia, from Mongolia and Eastern Russia to Japan. Its wands of densely packed, fluffy white flowers can reach 5-feet tall, making it a … particularly in late summer when not much else is in bloom there. 'White Pearl' may be slow to establish, but it's worth the wait. There are over 35 different species of bugbane or Actaea , …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The weeping bottlebrush is native to northeastern Australia, growing along watercourses. As such, it can withstand occasional flooding as well as drought conditions. These characteristics have led to it being extremely invasive in wetter parts of the U.S. south, such as Florida, although it is frost tender and therefore not a threat to colder parts of the U.S. In the absence of native pests, the weeping bottlebrush can reach …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hanging lobster claw ( Heliconia rostrata ) is native to Central America, where migrating hummingbirds from North America pollinate the flowers while hovering to sip nectar. Their foreheads get dusted with pollen in the process — which apparently annoys some of them, because they have learned to poke a hole in the side of the flower to access the nectar and avoid the messy pollen! Let us …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Heuchera richardsonii var. grayana or Prairie Alumroot, is native to the Midwest; found in Illinois, Missouri and the adjacent states. It is a variety of the … It differs in a few small measurable ways from the species, and is currently considered to be the same as the species. The flowers are a bit smaller, more pubescent and petals are, in addition to being glandular, are also minutely papillose. The stamens longer and the capsules more …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Dicentra ‘Burning Hearts’ grows to 6 – 12 inches high with bluish gray green foliage that is fernlike and deeply cut. It blooms … of a drop of blood, thus giving the plant the name “bleeding heart”. It will continue to bloom into the summer until the weather becomes hot. In cooler climates it will continue to bloom all summer long. With adequate moisture, the foliage will remain attractive throughout …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… deeply recurved petals bend backward. The stem has whorled leaves and can reach a height of 4 to 6 feet. This is a Martagon lily that grows well in woodlands and is most adapted to shade. The unsurpassed grace and beauty of this lily make it a lovely addition to the garden. Lilies love full sun but will do well in partial shade. They tolerate hot summer …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
