more about: Pruning

The Grumpy Gardener

Timely Garden Tasks for August — Prune, Hydrate, Stay Alive

August 14, 2012 | By Steve Bender | Comments (9)

Prune off the round green seed pods of crepe myrtles now. This will help drooping branches stand up straighter, plus you may get a second crop of flowers in fall!

The Grumpy Gardener

Pruning Azaleas — When & How

March 26, 2012 | By Steve Bender | Comments (31)

The azaleas in front of Grumpy’s palace are in full bloom now and looking glorious. But they wouldn’t be if they hadn’t been pruned at the right time. They’d be boring, green blobs. Here’s how to prune azaleas correctly and avoid the state of green blobness so prevalent in our neighborhoods. What to Prune There are two classes of azaleas […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Grumpy’s 2nd Annual Crepe Murder Contest!

February 17, 2012 | By Steve Bender | Comments (8)

Crepe murder — the ultimate copycat crime. Now that football season is officially over until August, thousands of bored, frustrated men from sea to shining sea will unleash their pent-up testosterone on their poor crepe myrtles, chopping them down into ugly stumps. Grumpy calls this odious practice “crepe murder” and will never cease in his holy quest to eradicate it […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Grumpy’s Winter Pruning Guide — Part 2

January 16, 2012 | By Steve Bender | Comments (11)

Well, now that the college football season is over (I find that beer lessens the withdrawal, but doesn’t cure it completely), winter mauling of trees and shrubs by bored sports addicts is in high gear. Last week, I provided guidelines to prevent ghastly mauling of shrubs in winter. This week, I shall address trees. Ladies, please hide ANYTHING your man […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Grumpy’s Winter Pruning Guide — Part 1

January 9, 2012 | By Steve Bender | Comments (3)

Pruning Maniac — armed and extremely dangerous Fellow gardeners, we stand on the verge of apocalypse. With the end of the college football season, thousands of men steaming with pent-up testosterone and overpowering boredom are about to pick up saws and pruners and lay waste to your landscape. It just feels good to cut something. However, if you can possibly […]

The Grumpy Gardener

What Should I Prune Now? Grumpy Cuts to the Chase

May 9, 2011 | By Steve Bender | Comments (27)

Pruning is one garden task that scares the All-Bran out of people. They’re afraid that if they prune something at the wrong time, they’ll ruin it, kill it, or look like a dolt. Relax, my children. The Grump is here to help. If you remember this one rule, you’ll cut your pruning mistakes in half. (I’m so clever. It’s a […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Is It Spring Yet? Heck If I Know

January 31, 2011 | By Steve Bender | Comments (15)

Great news! Grumpy saw his shadow this morning. Unfortunately, he was in the bathroom. Upon venturing outside, he did not see his shadow. What does this mean? Either spring is just around the corner or it is nowhere close. Glad I could clear that up for you. Fear not, however, for no matter if you live in the land of […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Time to Prune Hydrangeas?

January 27, 2010 | By Steve Bender | Comments (13)

If there is one thing about trees and shrubs that scares people more than paying for them, it’s when and how to prune them. One wrong move can ruin them forever (not really, but added anxiety makes for more attentive readers). But abandon all fear, young Skywalker. The Grump is here with easy guidelines for pruning hydrangeas that will make you so glad […]

The Grumpy Gardener

When to Prune Encore Azaleas

November 27, 2009 | By Steve Bender | Comments (15)

Question from Jack: My Encore azaleas are now blooming. When and how do I trim them, especially the long branches sticking up? Grumpy’s 100% correct answer: Encores bloom in both fall and spring, so if you prune them now, you won’t get flowers in spring. What you should do is prune them immediately after they finish blooming next spring. You […]

The Grumpy Gardener

Making Forsythia (and Other Shrubs) Bloom

April 8, 2009 | By Steve Bender | Comments (5)

As always, the generous Grump is here to answer your most perplexing garden questions. Here’s one about forsythia from Pam Nichols: Hi! I have three large forsythia that are about 20 years old. They are in full sun and have not been trimmed in a couple of years. The last two years they have had no blooms (well, maybe three […]

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