How To Prune

Besides soluble and insoluble fiber, prunes contain vitamins including potassium, iron and Vitamin A, as well as various phytochemicals that serve as antioxidants.Consumers have long recognized prunes' ability to produce a gentle laxative effect.

Everyone loves the splashy blooms of the clematis vine and there are hundreds of varieties and cultivars to choose from, but did you know that it is important to time your pruning efforts?

This plant prefers a neutral pH of 7.0 to slightly acidic 6.6-6.8. It does best in well drained rich soil with plenty of organic material.Although most of these plants prefer full sun, their roots like to stay cool.

Basically, you are postponing the moment at which the spinach or lettuce plant feels it has stored up enough of the sun's energy in its leaves to produce seeds (or "bolt"). When tomato plants have a certain number of leaves, they know it is time to start...

But the Queen on the right is unecessarily pruned severelyChamaerops palms can be difficult palms to prune as they have incredibly sharp spines along their wispy petioles that can do severe damage to face and arms if one is not careful.And these palms...

In raspberry culture, there are three basic categories of raspberry:Red, and gold, everbearing (fall-bearing, primocane)Find the type you own in the table below and follow the instructions.

At this time, retail availability of the root pruning containers is limited; however, the Superoots Air-Pot is available at retail in the western U.S. at The proximity to the nursery pot wall (often black) makes the roots susceptible to burning from an...

As a previous article on secured tree climbing raised interest amongst many readers, I thought it would be instructional to go a step further and present now trimming up large trees, a rather technical and dangerous activity but sometimes necessary.

Limb up above the roofline of a single story home to clear obstruction of a window or door. If the flowers are too high to reach, the blossoms will ripen into attractive seeds. You may wish to pot up the suckers which you prune from the shrub; those should...

Cut near the base of the old flower cluster. However, any time between the first frost in fall and the last frost in spring (while the sap is low) will work.Immediately following its lush spring growth, as new foliage is still hardening off, is one of...

Actually, is simple when you know it. Thinking of the many buckets full of apricots which I could harvest and of the pantry shelves full of apricot jam jars, which I could make afterwards, I was ready for the biggest battle of my life.

But you know what?I have a new oak tree, right in the middle of my daylily patch.The thumbnail of the oak seedling, and the photo of the river birch are my own. Thinking it was another weed, I moved in that direction.Folks, let me tell you, sometimes...

Each variety of hydrangea is pruned in a different manner. Produces blooms on NEW wood, stems produced during the current growing season.Commonly known as Wild Hydrangea or Smooth Hydrangea, is a species of Hydrangea native to eastern North America.Grows...

Tie tomatillo plants to the support loosely with polyethylene or sisal twine, avoiding parts of the stem that are just below flower clusters.are easy to work with and you won't have to spend time tying and retying your plants.

Also, cut out any short, soft shoots developing from the base of the bush late in the season. Prune off canes and twigs that have been damaged by winter injury, diseases, insects, etc.

In addition, pruning zucchini allows more energy to reach the fruits rather than the majority of zucchini plant leaves.Pruning zucchini plant leaves can also improve air circulation and help to prevent thefreestar.queue.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-300x250-ATF-1");...

Every now and again, get out the pruners.To prune or not to prune, that is the question, and the answer is: sometimes, carefully. But in times of minimal irrigation, your succulents will die just like any other plant without water.

Cryptomerias are commonly used as decorative trees, green privacy screens, hedging and windbreaks. Thin the branches to allow light penetration and good air flow while still maintaining the trees shape.Work spherically around the perimeter of the cryptomeria,...

Poinsettias do not require high levels of light, one of the reasons they are favored as a potted plant. Cut off the top 1/2 inch of each tip, as this helps the poinsettia grow full and bushy.Trim off the growing tips on each stem a second time in August...

Use small, hand-held pruning shears to trim just the ends of the branches. The Missouri Botanical Garden reports that allamandas often attract mealy bugs and scale. The allamanda (Allamanda cathartica), also called the golden trumpet, yellow bell and...

The leaves of the zucchini plant are substantial in size and offer shade for the vegetables beneath. Zucchini is a prolific vegetable that grows well in most soil as long as it gets plenty of sunlight.

When new shoots emerge at the plant's the base and on stems, cut old woody stems back to new growth. This reduces the chances of fungal infections spreading. Cut dead, soft stems to the ground.Trim soft-stemmed perennial sages in the summer to encourage...

When you grow eggplants in a backyard garden, expect them to grow in similar fashion to tomato plants. Gardeners often stake eggplant plants to give them sufficient support as they grow taller and larger throughout the growing season.

Pinching the stems results in a bushier plant with fuller flowers.Deadheading -- removing old flowers -- prevents seed formation, which encourages some phlox varieties to put forth new growth and new flowers.

The foxglove is a colorful biennial that can grow up to six feet tall. If you prefer your foxglove to self-sow, leave some of the stalks alone so they can go to seed.Prune the stems close to the base of the plant after they have gone to seed.Collect seeds...

If growing for ornamental purposes, prune flowers after they fade. These bare stems should be pruned back right above the new leaves.Those wishing to use sage in the kitchen for culinary dishes should prune the flowers off sage plants before they open.

The isopropyl alcohol prevents the spread of plant pathogens.Cut out all dead or diseased branches of Japanese pittosporum hedges and bushes year-round. If you have an informal hedge or bush, cut back its overgrown stems to the desired size, making the...