QUESTION: “My mother has an established Kwanzan Cherry tree. Last year the leaves turned yellow and dropped off prematurely and that year they are doing the same and are noticeably smaller than they have been in the past. Do you have any ideas what may be causing that. I would hate to have her los…

Water only in the early morning from 5:00-10:00 AM. Watering in the middle of the day causes you to lose at least 30%-40% of the water to evaporation. Watering at night means you can develop fungus in your lawn and garden. Create irrigation zones for your plants, because some need less water and oth…

Handmade in Japan of solid stainless steel by skilled artisans this set includes a long handle bonsai-pruning shear with a longer handle than traditional butterfly shaped tools. The pine bud cutter tool is strong, durable, and precise. It has an 8 1/4 inch reach, precise for pruning. The concave c…

Pets are folks too, even whether they have twice as many legs and (usually) more body hair than the other members of the family. Having our pets outdoors with us can add to our enjoyment and it can help to keep them fit and healthy.Today, I’ll share some ideas about incorporating “pet friendly�…

Whenever possible, move woody plants and trees when they are dormant in the fall and perennials in September. If you have to move them in the summer, water them well for a couple of days before digging and then use a cloudy day to dig them up. Have the new holes dug and soils prepared all ready to g…

Sometimes you may see what looks like animal vomit popping up in your mulch around the base of flowers or plants in the garden. This is a fungus called “dog vomit fungus” and can often be a large as 6” in diameter or so. It thrives on heavily watered plant beds, To get rid of it, turn the mulc…

You can find half barrels home centers, hardware stores, nurseries, and discount marts. A wooden half barrel will prevent the sun from baking the soil like plastic and will be very sturdy. Drill 4 or 5 holes in the bottom of the barrel for drainage. Next, add a layer of gravel. Use a mix of garden…

QUESTION: “I own a little Cape Cod built in the 1940’s. It sits on a 40 x 120 lot, which doesn’t leave much space amidst the neighbors’ houses. I’d like to have a privacy screen on the one side of the house, but there is only about 8 feet within the homes. My property line is only four feet fr…

Forsythia is sometimes mistaken for yellow honeysuckle, a different plant with longer blossoms. To prune honeysuckle in the late spring/early summer, remove 1/3 of the old stems from the plant. Use pruning shears to cut them back to half their length to prevent tearing, then make the final cut…

From late April to late May, prune your forsythia. The best time is just as soon as the flowers have faded. In early May, feed the plant with a mulch of well-rotted compost. If you have no compost available, spread two handfuls of bone meal around the plant base and gently fork it into the soil. F…