How to Prune Apple Trees If you have ever wondered how to prune your apple trees, you are not alone. I’m not talking about an apple orchard here. Just the average apple tree owning homeowner. I have 2 apple trees in my yard. A Cortland and a McIntosh, my favorite varieties. Hopefully, you already know…
Rabbit Proof Your Plants I want to show you how to rabbit proof your plants. Those cute little bunnies that draw all the oohs and ahhs from women and little children. Those nasty buck-toothed plant-chewing varmints! I will admit that watching rabbits frolicking around in the yard on a nice summer evening is enjoyable. There…
Drink Milk? Make Plants! Did you know that if you drink milk, you can make your own plants? Well more specifically, if you have empty milk jugs you can start plants from seeds. Oh now you tell me I know, you wish you knew that before you threw out or recycled all this year’s jugs….
Lack of Snow- Good or Bad A lack of snow for us is very unusual. Normally our area can get 60 to 80 inches, or more, of snow during the winter. Now hold on a second. For those that are thinking of how deep that is, it isn’t here all at once. It comes and…
Halfway Through Winter It’s the middle of January and we’re halfway through Winter. Well as far as not seeing very many plants anyways. It’s been almost 2 months since we covered up and it will be another 2 months, or so until we uncover them again. It has been very snow-free so far this year….
Hard Pruning Sunburst St. John’s Wort Hypericum frondosum ‘Sunburst’ Hard pruning of Sunburst St. John’s Wort may be necessary. They grow as a very bushy shrub, growing pretty much in a rounded shape without any interference from us. Since they only get to be about 3 or 4 feet in size, I find that they…
Growing Dogwood Seeds Growing Dogwood seeds is actually quite simple. White Dogwood trees are actually native understory trees. They are smaller trees that can sometimes be found growing at the edges of the woods. After their showcase of large white flowers in the early Spring, the trees become somewhat normal looking. Along comes fall weather…
Propagating Dappled Willow Tree Form Propagating Dappled Willow as a tree form. Say what? Dappled Willows are medium to large bushy shrubs. But, they can be done in a tree form as well. Not naturally, but as a man-made oddity. Most of the ones found in garden centers or stores are actually grafted trees. A…
Propagating Dappled Willow as Hardwood Cuttings is a Simple Process Propagating Dappled Willow as hardwood cuttings is a simple process. Dappled Willow, Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’, propagates very well as hardwood cuttings. Most members of the Willow family do. You may know it as Tri-Colored Willow or some other local name. Spring growth brings out…
Stick Sticking Time It is stick sticking time again. Hardwood sticks that is. Winter has officially arrived. Plants are dormant and the leaves have all fallen off. Time to propagate some more plants has now arrived. Yes, you read that right. Starting new plants in the middle of the cold winter. Summer is so nice…
