My friend Stephen Scanniello, an internationally renowned rosarian, former curator of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cranford Rose Garden, author of "A Year of Roses" and "Roses of America," and president of the Heritage Rose Foundation, stopped by today to offer expert tips for pruning roses. It comes in handy to know people in high places, doesn't it. . .

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Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, roses on 2008-04-18, 17:50:00

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Washington Gardener Enews Vol. 4, No. 4 — April 15, 2008 is now out and archived here.


In This Issue:
When to Prune Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Magazine Excerpt: Elevated Edibles
April To-Do List
Spotlight Special: Garden Splendor
Reader Contest: Leesburg Flower & Garden Fest Passes
Local Gardening Events

Pictured here is my arch - moved from the backyard framing my pond entrance to the side yard -- to be covered soon in Clematis 'Sweet Autumn' and a yellow climbing rose , whose name escapes me right now. To the right you see the last of my Forsythia blooms still hanging on.

reBlogged to pruning flowers trees shrubs

Posted by WashingtonGardener Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers, pruning, shrubs, trees on 2008-04-17, 06:33:12

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April brings no shortage of things to do outside in the yard. The list may seem overwhelming but take it a few steps at a time and your garden and lawn will be sure to grow all season long.

Now is the time to prune roses. The exception is the rambler rose. They bloom on last year's wood so leave them alone until after they flower.

Plant new roses now. This is a great time to put in a new rose bush so it is well establis...

reBlogged to roses pruning on Apr 8, 2008, 1:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, roses on 2008-04-10, 06:22:09

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reBlogged to pruning

Posted by gardenrant Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-04-02, 06:18:24

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It's been a while since I posted a Do or Don't, so when I saw this giant topiaried conifer, I had to pull over and snap a photo, even if it was on my crappy camera phone. There's not too much I can say about this except please don't do this. Not that you would, I'm sure. But then who does? I've seen butcher jobs like this countless times. Obviously it was done at least partly because of the power lines, but sheesh. Surely death (to the tree) would be better?

reBlogged to pruning trees on Mar 30, 2008, 1:52PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, trees on 2008-04-01, 06:51:28

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Selection of a training system will help guide how you prune your blueberries. Many fruit gardeners prefer to retain two to three main canes that will anchor the bush's fruit production. Young blueberries are carefully trained to maintain close base at the root crown and an open center to allow sunlight to pass through and allow air movement.

1. Visually observe the blueberry bush.
2. Imagine...

reBlogged to pruning berries on Mar 26, 2008, 1:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to berries, pruning on 2008-03-28, 06:04:37

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In late winter/early spring, I am going to prune a large burning bush. I want to prune it to about half its size. Is that too much? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pruning on Mar 17, 2008, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-20, 05:36:32

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“Hey buddy, where's my food?”

This week the temperature here in South Florida went from the mid-eighties on Thursday to the mid-forties on Saturday. What is going on??? Saturday morning we got a nice thunderstorm as a cold front passed by and the rest of the weekend was nice and cool. This probably was the last cold front of the year. . . .

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Posted by rusty in miami Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-12, 00:28:54

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The main reasons for pruning ornamental and shade trees include safety, health, and aesthetics. In addition, pruning can be used to stimulate fruit production and increase the value of timber. Pruning for safety involves removing branches that could fall and cause injury or property damage, trimming branches that interfere with lines of sight on streets or driveways, and removing branches that grow into utility lines. Safety pruning can be largely a...

reBlogged to pruning on Mar 10, 2008, 1:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-12, 00:19:23

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Here are some exceptions to the pruning recommendations I posted Wednesday. . . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-07, 18:55:44

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Caring for hydrangeas can seem a bit daunting because different species require different maintenance. If you mistake one type for another, you'll end up with a blossom-less season, or worse. It's really not that bad, as long as you keep the plant tag that came with the plant and use the handy guide I've prepared for you. . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-07, 06:16:32

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Mid-February to mid-April is the ideal time for pruning most woody plants, both because they're dormant and because you can better see what you're doing when your view isn't obstructed by leaves. It's also the period of most rapid plant healing, called compartmentalization. . . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-06, 05:51:53

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Marie Iannotti's helpful list of perennials to trim back in spring might be daunting at any other time of year. "What, you mean I have to trim back all those...

reBlogged to pruning on Feb 28, 2008, 11:54PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-03-03, 00:26:51

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Spring is slowly creeping in and we're getting tempted to start cleaning up the garden. Just as a reminder, here's a (rather long) list of perennial plants that prefer...

reBlogged to pruning on Feb 22, 2008, 8:01PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-02-25, 06:25:42

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reBlogged to weather pruning

Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, weather on 2008-02-18, 19:37:17

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Way back when I asked you all if there was such a thing as winter interest in the garden, the overwhelming majority of you said you like to keep your...

reBlogged to pruning on Feb 15, 2008, 8:02PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-02-16, 20:57:12

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Last weekend, my husband and I spent the morning pruning the timber trees at our tree farm. I love to prune. It is an art and a science: studying the tree to determine the dominant leader, envisioning the natural balance of the tree, thinking about the affect of sunlight, and removing deer damaged limbs. It is a physically and mentally active task that has aesthetic and financial rewards. It is also much different than pruning ornamental trees and shrubs, which I also love to prune. The point to pruning ornamentals (other than topiary) is to restore it to its natural shape, to encourage new growth and blooms, and to remove diseased branches or prevent disease. The point to pruning timber is to produce the largest and straightest trunk. . . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Earth Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-02-15, 19:22:23

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A rose by any other name, sure it would smell as sweet, but it would also have thorns that prick and jab mercilessly and make me think pruning is going to be one of my least favorite gardening chores. Ouch, those suckers hurt!. . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Christa Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-02-06, 06:35:05

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reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-02-04, 05:24:16

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Ficus trees have a tendency to freak people out… It seems like as soon as the tree comes home, leaves start dropping. The last thing a Ficus tree owner was to think about is pruning. There are too many visions of leaves dropping in their mind. . . .

reBlogged to pruning on Jan 25, 2008, 7:56AM

Posted by Plant Pro Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-01-26, 06:24:30

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Should I prune the lush bunches of thyme in my herb garden? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to herbs thyme pruning on Jan 15, 2008, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to herbs, pruning, thyme on 2008-01-16, 18:18:43

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Here’s a link to a video I posted this morning - the two kinds of pruning cuts you need to know in order to control plant growth.

Check it out so your pruning this coming spring won’t be the unkindest cut of all. . .

reBlogged to pruning on Jan 9, 2008, 4:06PM

Posted by Doug Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-01-11, 05:45:41

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reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Yolanda Elizabet Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2008-01-05, 00:33:23

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More than one person has written to ask, “My winter has been very mild and several plants that need dormant pruning don’t seem to have gone dormant. Will it...

reBlogged to pruning on Dec 19, 2007, 8:53PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-12-21, 19:47:29

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While many of us are skating down the sidewalk, it’s nice to be reminded that some lucky gardeners are gearing up to prune the roses. Natasha Levitan walks us...

reBlogged to roses pruning on Dec 17, 2007, 8:44PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, roses on 2007-12-20, 14:30:03

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I've heard that "fire days" are when you can cut thistle and it won't come back up. Is this true, and what are the days? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pruning on Dec 4, 2007, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-12-07, 00:40:33

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  Anigothanthos flavidus The native western Australian plant, "Kangaroo Paws,"  ( Anigothanthos)  seem to be everywhere these days.  I see the evergreen, dark green clumps with striking tubular flowers in red, purple, green, orange and yellow displayed in pots, in garden beds and used in all kinds of landscape designs from tropical to contemporary. Kangaroo Paws are in my ...

reBlogged to pruning plants

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to plants, pruning on 2007-11-24, 00:37:05

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Training and Pruning Florida Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums: "Training and Pruning Florida Peaches"

reBlogged to fruit pruning

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit, pruning on 2007-11-17, 06:35:26

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reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Michele Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-11-17, 06:34:35

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In comments left on an earlier post of mine, MrBrownThumb mentioned that he was sad that his hollyhocks--he has a double black variety!--were already done blooming. That reminded me that I meant to make another post about a little experiment of mine.

As you can see from the first picture, the hollyhocks I had included in my "Notes to Self: June" post are over 7 feet tall and almost done blooming. (The artemisia in front of them is looking pretty sad, but that's more of an indication of the dryness of our summer and the water-stinginess of its caretaker.). . .

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Blackswamp_Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-07-03, 18:29:55

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When is a good time to prune trees? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pruning on Jun 23, 2007, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-06-24, 17:36:28

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It feels good to finally get my hedges pruned.  My father in law gave me some electric clippers which makes the job so much quicker and easier.

reBlogged to pruning on Jun 16, 2007, 12:30AM

Posted by sandy Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-06-17, 17:18:02

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How should I prune oleanders? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pruning shrubs on May 22, 2007, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, shrubs on 2007-05-25, 06:29:26

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Anyone who has a mature garden probably spends more time keeping existing plants under control than they spend planting new things. You spend a lot of time digging up and dividing overgrown perennials and pruning trees and shrubs. The pruning produces yard waste, and unless you have a chipper/shredder (a topic for another day), if you live in an urban area you will have to bundle all these prunings for collection. I have a system for bundling that works well for me, and I'd like to share it with you, using some pictures I took last year when I finally got around to pruning my forsythia. . .

reBlogged to pruning on May 16, 2007, 3:58PM

Posted by Leslie Turek Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-05-19, 06:22:47

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When should I prune my fig tree? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pruning on May 10, 2007, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-05-12, 06:47:51

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Remember the forsythia I pruned so that I could force some branches? It doesn’t look so floriferous out in the open, does it? (For comparison, check out the forsythias here.) When I’m...

reBlogged to pruning shrubs on Apr 27, 2007, 7:51AM

Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, shrubs on 2007-04-29, 16:59:01

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As with many, many homes across the country, mine came with the requisite builder-grade shrubs, poorly selected, too large and planted too close to the house.

I've been battling one particular red-tipped Photinia for all of my 13 years in residence here, and at this point, the outcome is a draw.

Why is this shrub lop-sided?
-

Today was beautiful, sunny and warm, and I spent all afternoon outdoors, in the yard. One of the many tasks I decided to tackle was the onerous, semi-annual chore of pruning back my red-tipped monstrosity to a reasonable size. I came at it from all sides, with hand pruners, loppers, and a pruning saw. . . .

reBlogged to shrubs pruning

Posted by Mary Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, shrubs on 2007-04-24, 16:50:51

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Knowing when and what to prune is something every gardener has to figure out at some point. We all learn the basics. We observe what works and watch to see what others do. Prune spring flowering shrubs after they’ve bloomed, prune summer/fall flowering shrubs in the spring. Prune trees when the wood isn’t frozen, preferably in late winter. Prune deadwood at any time. . . .

reBlogged to vines pruning

Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, vines on 2007-04-22, 17:08:09

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You can wait years for your garden to fill in and look lush and then in the next moment it looks overgrown. There’s no substitution for regular pruning and...

reBlogged to pruning on Apr 19, 2007, 9:57PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-04-21, 18:08:51

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I pinched the very top two leaves of my small avocado tree a few weeks ago. I saw a post somewhere about someone who wished she'd done this to her young avocado to encourage branching out. I didn't quite know why, but I decided to do it too. It's been a few weeks now, and I noticed two new stalks growing.

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-04-20, 17:04:48

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This picture illustrates how, in 3 weeks, you can turn a young coleus into a bushy bundle of color by pinching new growth. Let's not discuss the bougainvillea right now. I have no idea why it dropped its blooms. I got these coleus at the local home improvement store for $.88 each. Each time I water them, I do two things that will help make them beautiful. . . .

reBlogged to coleus pruning

Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to coleus, pruning on 2007-04-11, 22:47:55

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The standard advice for pruning spring-blooming shrubs is to prune them no later than two weeks after they’re done blooming. This is because most spring-flowering shrubs, at least, all those...

reBlogged to pruning shrubs on Apr 10, 2007, 6:57PM

Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning, shrubs on 2007-04-11, 16:48:43

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Mia had a question about pruning raspberries, and when that should be done. Here's an article from the New Hampshire Extension Service about this topic. I thought I'd include the entire article because it addresses a number of important issues with raspberries. . . .

reBlogged to pruning berries

Posted by North Country Maturing Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to berries, pruning on 2007-04-02, 16:31:23

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The telescopic pruner was earning it´s keep, all around me timber fell about my ears and soon the ground was covered in the pruned timber from the Mullberry trees. It now appears that there was rather more tree in the sky then I first thought! I am giving the tree a severe Spanish style pruning cutting back into the crown of the trees.

reBlogged to pruning

Posted by Colin & Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to pruning on 2007-04-01, 22:22:48

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