Ask Categories: Trees & Shrubs

Pruning Daphne

I have a deciduous daphne that is 5 years old, or older; it blooms in the spring, before the leaves open. It is lovely, but is getting too big. Can I prune it? If so, how much and when?  …

Pruning damaged globe cedars

I have globe cedars on the west side of our home. Last winter the deer ate some of the branches and this has caused them to turn brown. Can I prune these trees successfully, and if so at what time…

Lilac candidate for rehab

Albeit belatedly, this spring we pruned back the Arctic Willow that had deprived our lilac of light. Given the lilac’s current shape (photo attached) I’m unsure how, or whether, pruning might restore some lower branches to grow. How severely can…

small flowering shrubs for my garden built on concrete

Hi Master Gardener Team: I have had a large mound of raspberry bushes and a dark green vine that produces tiny purple flowers. They have grown considerably thicker in what seems to be a symbiotic relationship. This was built on…

Small tree

I am looking to plant a tree in my front yard in the beach area. It has a western exposure and is on an open corner getting the west winds. I want a smaller sized tree – I have just…

Flower buds not opening on old Rhododendron

My old, five foot, Rhododendron has flower buds at the top that are not opening and the plant seems to be making new buds from the old wood about one foot up from the soil?  The Rhododendron beside it is…

Apricot tree main branch broke

Hello, I am not sure if I can explain properly but I have a young apricot tree I bought an year ago. Now I can see leaf and growth but main branch that goes straight up broke during bad season…

Pruning a standard lilac tree

Hi, I have an old standard lilac tree that is getting too big to hold up the branches with the flowers & leaves out. the tree is about 18 years old now….beautifully large round lollipop….but is now too heavy and…

Transplanting a 6 ft. Lilac

I’d like to move a 6 ft. lilac to another part of my yard.  The current location is becoming more shady so the lilac is losing shape as it stretches to the light.  Is a 6 ft. lilac too big…

Transplanting a Japanese Maple

How can I safely move a fairly mature Japanese maple tree?  This tree is unusual in that it is an amazing orange/yellow colour with a touch of red in the Fall and is really worth trying to keep.  It’s not…