How to Prune Blooming Plants in Spring

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the bottom of the frame holding a pair of pruners and cutting the branch of a flowering shrub.

Spring-blooming perennials add much-needed color to the landscape after the cold winter months. These plants will require careful pruning at the proper time and in the correct way to avoid interfering with the floral display. Learn how to prune plants when accentuating their flowers is the top priority. Read more now.

Your Spring Garden Checklist to Start the Season Strong

A close up horizontal image of flowers and herbs growing in the spring garden.

Spring is a busy time for the gardener. And to get everything done in a timely manner, it’s easiest to plan maintenance, propagation, and growing projects for early, mid-, and late season. Then relax and enjoy, knowing everything’s in place for a pretty and productive year. Here’s your spring garden checklist.

11 Things to Do in the Garden Before Winter

Close up of a rake, with a wooden handle, and autumn leaves raked into a pile, with grass and soft focus leaf fall in the background.

The glory days of summer may be over but there are still a few things to do in the garden before winter arrives. Take the time now to get these tasks done and your plants will be protected from freeze and frost, the soil will be nourished, and your garden will be ready for action when spring arrives. Get the list here.

Your Guide to Fall and Spring Perennial Cutbacks and Pruning

A pair of red-handled pruning clippers lie open on top of a pile of clipped perennial leaves and stems in a black plastic bucket, next to white flowering daisies.

A tidy garden is a healthy garden, and cutting back perennials helps to achieve both of these things. But confusion comes into play when deciding which perennials to cut back when. Relax! We’ll teach you how biannual pruning can become an act of meditation for the gardener. Read our handy guide, and you’ll look forward to a tidy cleanup.

How, When, and Why to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses

Maiden grass growing in a natural landscape with small wooded mountains in the background.

You’ve filled your yard with fescue, miscanthus, and fakahatchee for multi-season interest that’s beloved by the residents of your home as well as the wildlife. Wondering how to prune your ornamental grasses? Get tips on the how, the when, and the why of cutting back these artistic and pretty landscape plants now.

How to Shape Your Hydrangea into a Tree

A horizontal image of a hydrangea that has been shaped into a tree form.

Sure, you can buy a tree form hydrangea plant at a nursery, but this is often a pricey option. Why not create your own? All you need is a little patience, since it can take a few years to get results, plus some know-how, which we’ll provide in this guide, and a pair of pruning shears to clip your plant into shape.

How and When to Prune Pear Trees

A close up horizontal image of pears growing in the garden.

If you’re wondering how and when to prune your pear trees to keep them healthy and productive, you might not know how or where to begin. Should you train them to take on a certain shape? Or can you leave them to grow naturally? We’ll answer these questions and more. Find out how and when to prune pears in this guide.

What Are Weeds?

A close up horizontal image of a gardener with gloved hands carrying a handful of weeds.

When it comes to weeds, things aren’t always black and white. Some, like kudzu and giant hogweed, should definitely be controlled. But others, like dandelions, can be left to enjoy. Let’s discuss when weeds can safely be left in place and how to incorporate them into your garden scheme if you decide to let them be.

17 Tips to Keep the Late Summer Garden Going Strong

A horizontal image of a perennial garden bed with a number of flowers and foliage plants.

With garden beds prepped and planted in spring and crops harvested in summer, you might think that the late season garden doesn’t need a lot of attention. But to keep things colorful, productive, and vibrant, you’ll want to stay on top of certain tasks. Here are 17 tips to keep the late summer garden going strong.

When to Prune Old vs New Wood and How to Tell the Difference

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the right of the frame using a pair of secateurs to prune the branches of a shrub.

When it comes to pruning, knowing the difference between new and old wood is crucial. If you prune either one at the wrong time, it’s entirely possible that you’ll destroy that year’s fruit or floral display. Learn about the difference between the two types of growth so you can prune for the best health and display.

How to Control Bindweed (Morning Glory Weed)

A close up horizontal image of bindweed (morning glory weed) growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

Oh no. It’s one of the worst weeds imaginable, and it’s in your garden. Morning glory, also known as bindweed, is a nightmare. It’s extremely difficult to get rid of, and it can turn into a serious problem over just one growing season, killing plants and reducing crops. But don’t feel hopeless. You can get rid of it.

Spend Less Time Weeding and More Time Gardening with These Tips

Two large dandelions are growing in the center of a garden. The weeds are well established and ready to compete with the vegetables in the garden for valuable sunlight and nutrients.

Weeds – they’re every gardener’s struggle. But you may be creating more work for yourself. Find out how they work and key tips to keep them at bay, as well as the best way to pull them and what to do with the debris. If you want to save time in the garden and minimize this seemingly endless chore, read more now.

Weed Your Garden Less with Stale Seedbed Cultivation

A gardener reaches a long wooden handle with a sharp hoe on the end into her garden to cut out all of the weeds that are growing near her vegetables.

Every gardener would love to spend less time weeding their garden and more time enjoying it. But how? Stale seedbed cultivation is a tried and true method that will dramatically reduce the number of weed seeds in the soil that are just waiting for the chance to out compete your vegetables. Read more on Gardener’s Path.

How and When to Prune Morning Glory Vines

A horizontal image of a large morning glory vine growing on a tall fence with marigolds growing at the bottom.

Morning glory vines can grow over 10 feet tall with colorful displays of flowers through the summer. Left unmanaged, they can quickly grow out of control. Plants should be pruned throughout the season to keep the aggressively growing vines in check and encourage blooming. Read on to learn how to trim morning glories.

How to Deadhead Blooming Plants in the Garden

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the left of the frame holding a pair of secateurs snipping off a spent rose.

Are you familiar with the type of pruning known as deadheading? If you are a gardener, we invite you to join us as we define deadheading, and discuss how this technique varies with different plants. Learn the benefits of the practice, and ways to build it into your busy schedule with minimal effort. Read more now.

How and When to Do the Chelsea Chop

A close up horizontal image of a gardener pruning flowers in the gardener using the Chelsea chop.

The Chelsea chop isn’t some fashionable new haircut. It’s a tried-and-true way to prune your plants in the spring to maximize blossoms, extend bloom times, and help prop up droopy flowers. It’s simple to do, but timing is key – it can only be done during a few weeks in the spring or you risk doing more harm than good.

Spring Care Tips for Your Herb Garden

A close up horizontal image of a spiral herb garden.

Herbs are wonderfully low maintenance plants. And with just a little bit of care and attention in the spring, these aromatic, tasty, and healthful edibles will flourish for your enjoyment. From top-dressing to propagating, join us for all the details you need on how to care for your herb garden!

How and When to Prune Roses

A close up horizontal image of a gloved hand from the right of the frame using a pair of secateurs to prune a rose bush.

Roses add an inviting touch of romance to a landscape. Be sure to keep yours in top form by pruning the right way at the right time. Did you know that you can adjust the quantity and size of blossoms by varying your cutting technique? Learn this and more with 5 pruning tips in this guide. Read more.

How to Trim and Shape a Cascade-Style Bonsai

A close up horizontal image of a gardener training a cascade bonsai.

A cascade bonsai is a dramatic work of art that evokes the windswept trees that cling to life on the edges of a cliff. Creating one requires skill and patience, but you don’t need decades of practice to master making a cascade, or shaping your tree without leaving a mark. Get started now with this guide. Read more.

How and When to Prune a Juniper Shrub

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the left of the frame pruning a juniper shrub.

Pruning junipers the right way takes a bit of finesse and know-how. If you do it wrong, you can end up with a sad-looking skeleton of a plant, rather than a robust shrub that adds to your garden. You need to know when, how, and which branches to prune if you want to keep your plant healthy and looking good. Read more.

Pomegranate Propagation: The Best Methods to Grow Your Own Trees

A close up horizontal image of pomegranates growing in the garden.

Whether your goal is to grow just one tree or enough to fill an orchard, like most fruit trees, pomegranates grow best via certain propagation methods. Learn which tried and true techniques can produce plants that are clones of the parent plant, and how results may vary. Then give them a try at home! Read more now.

7 Tips for Pruning Perennial Asters

A close up horizontal image of light blue perennial asters growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

Perennial asters, in shades of blue, pink, purple, and white, refresh late season gardens for a beautiful transition to fall. Have you been hesitant to plant them because of their somewhat unkempt natural growth habits? Read on for 7 tips that will help you keep them in shape, and make them the pride of your landscape.

The Basics of Pruning Shrubs and Woody Plants

A human hand holds a set of clippers while trimming a shrub.

Are you worried about pruning your plants? Worried about damaging your trees, shrubs, and woody plants in the process? If so, read our detailed guide and find out how to do it right and lower your stress level.

5 Reasons to Rejuvenate Forsythia with Hard Pruning

A close up horizontal image of an overgrown forsythia shrub with bright yellow flowers pictured on a blue sky background.

Forsythia is a low-maintenance shrub that grows in full sun and average, well-draining soil. It’s famous for its bountiful yellow spring blooms. Depending upon the age and condition of yours, it may be beneficial to do a hard pruning. Read on to learn how to decide when this practice is the appropriate action to take.

How to Care for Cold-Damaged Forsythia

A close up horizontal image of the branches of a woody shrub covered in a layer of snow pictured on a soft focus background.

If your spring forsythia display isn’t up to par, it could be because the shrubs have suffered cold weather damage. Unusually low temperatures and frozen precipitation can wreak havoc on plant tissue. Read on to discover the warning signs and steps you can take to try to restore your forsythia to its former glory.

5 Tips for Pruning Forsythia

A close up horizontal image of the bright yellow blooms of a flowering shrub in the spring garden.

The bright yellow blossoms of arching and upright forsythia varieties are springtime favorites. To keep yours in top form, it’s important to know when and how to prune them. Read on to discover 5 tips that will help you hone your skills and have bushes that are healthier and more attractive than you thought possible.

How to Prune and Control Asiatic Jasmine Vines

A close up of two hands wearing gardening gloves and holding red pruning shears, cutting a Trachelospermum asiaticum plant growing next to a pathway.

Deep-green Asian, or Asiatic, jasmine is a fantastic ground cover, especially for shady areas of the garden. But like many plants, it can get out of hand. Read more now to learn about several methods for pruning and controlling the spread of this assertive vine. Your neighbors will be glad you did!

Do I Need to Cut Back Bicolor Iris?

Get lovely blooms from trimmed bicolor iris plants | GardenersPath.com

Should you cut back your bicolor or African iris every winter, as you probably do with your ornamental grasses? It depends on a few factors. Learn more about when and how now from Gardener’s Path.

Leave the Butchery Behind: How to Properly Prune Crape Myrtle Trees

Pink crape myrtle blooms on properly pruned tree | GardenersPath.com

The crape myrtle is celebrated for its abundant groupings of colorful and delicate flowers in hues from white to deep red. If you know anything about these trees, you know that pruning them is a subject of great debate. To learn the proper way to trim crape myrtle trees, read more now on Gardener’s Path.

Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs| Foodal.com

It was brought home to me one afternoon as I looked out my bedroom window to see if I could find any flower buds on my Magnolia campbellii that bloomed so heavily last year. I saw no newer buds but I did notice some of my other plants were taking up much more space than …

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