A: Pruning hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla, the ones with the large globe-shaped flowers would be a mistake this time of year. It will result in fewer if any flowers next May or June. Pruning can be accomplished at two different times. Late ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes
A: This is one of the most common questions I get every February. Gardenias, like azaleas, would need to be pruned after they have finished flowering, which will be sometime late spring or early summer. The best management practice for most ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes
A: I always love an opportunity to share proper pruning techniques with the public. These proper techniques have been proven the best for the tree through research provided by the Environmental Horticulture Department at the UF/IFAS. I am going ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
A: Several people have called me in the last two weeks asking about pruning various perennials, shrubs and trees. Many people, like you, have said the plants look poorly this time of year and they want to prune them down to the ground. As a ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home LandscapesA common question after a tropical storm or hurricane event is will my palm tree recover? Palms grow different from other trees, so there’s definitely a different way to care for them post-storm. The growing point of a palm tree is the ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureHave you ever had a tree trimmed back to bare bones because you thought you were getting your money’s worth? You may be guilty of tree abuse, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent. (more…) READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension
Theresa Badurek, UF/IFAS Extension, Pinellas County It’s almost winter, even though we have had balmy weather lately. While some Central Florida winter days are warm, others can bring cold winds, frosts, and even freezes. These conditions ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Work & LifePost by Bob Mertens; Horticulture Program Specialist We often receive calls from customers complaining that their hedges are leggy and leafless at the bottom and what can be done about it. Some people even ask us what small plants could ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS ExtensionSoon beautiful blooms will come forth from one of the great landscape shrubs that characterize the South. Blooms of many colors will be produced from the azalea. It will be a magnificent show as it is every spring. Annual pruning of azaleas ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureAs the holidays fade and the New Year begins, we often see crapemyrtles being “mutilated” from improper pruning: main stems that are several years old are cut back, often leaving branch stubs 2 – 5 inches or more in diameter. This form ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture