It's tough to nail down exactly how and when to prune flowering plants, but here are some good general rules of thumb:

• Any spring or early summer flowering plant won't be harmed by proper pruning after the blooms pass.  But keep in mind that fruit, if desirable, is produced later in the season off of those flowers.
• Trees that are susceptible to borer infestations should be pruned as early as possible, so it's less likely the life cycle of the pest coincides with the newly created wound.
• Some late spring and summer flowering shrubs can be trimmed in Mid-March and still bloom well. These plants include Butterfly Bush, Panicle Hydrangea (PeeGee types only, NOT Mophead/Lacecap types), Deutzia, Spiraea, Potentilla, Weigela, Caryopteris, Itea, and Clethra.
• It's best to complete pruning of trees and shrubs by the end of July to ensure that all new growth hardens off appropriately before winter. Dormant pruning over the winter is effective on many species.
• When trimming any larger branch, the cut should be made a quarter inch past the collar, perpendicular to the branch angle. Flush cutting large branches increase chances of infection.
• Regardless of the time of year, broken and dead branches should be removed.
• Thinning out older shoots of stemmy shrubs (Lilac, Forsythia, Weigela, etc.) and branches of flowering trees will encourage healthier, more vigorous growth and better blooms the following year.  

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Cornus florida 'Cherokee Brave' 

  

The Dogwoods are blooming and this variety shines! Cherokee Brave has reddish bracts with white centers making it easy to distinguish from Cherokee Chief which is red-red. The new leaves emerge bronzy red and, according to Michael Dirr, develop some of the cleanest foliage you'll find on Dogwoods. Growing 20-25' high and wide it makes a terrific statement.

  

  

Some pulled orders ready for pickup,

Our sales crew has been busy loading trucks and pulling orders for delivery and pickups. We are also receiving trucks everyday so, as expected, it's a busy time of year. Duane and his crew are still planting and digging. Here in the yard it's hard to know where to look - our material looks fresh showing off their new growth, buds and blooms! 

  

  

  

All Japanese Maples 10% off !

Choose from varieties like 'Green Hornet', 'Crimson Queen', 'Viridis', 'Bloodgood', 'Shishigashira', 'Sharp's Pygmy' and many others. Don't miss out on this special...and remember, mention this ad in the office when you check out!

  

Valid 5/11-5/17

  

Deciduous Trees & Shrubs
Acer palmatum 'Ryusen' (weeping), 'Emperor One'	Japanese Maples
Betula jacquemonti	Himalayan Birch 18-20' clump
Hydrangea ano. Petiolaris	Climbing Hydrangea
Rosa Knockout Family, 'Valentine's Day' (own root stock), 'White Dawn', 'Zephirine Drouhin'	Assorted Roses
Syringa vulgaris	Common Lilac

Shamrock Inkberry

Ornamental and Broadleaf Evergreens
Buxus 'Graham Blandy', 'Green Gem, 'Green Mountain'	Boxwood
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Gold Mop	Goldthread Cypress
Cryptomeria japonica 'Radicans'	Japanese Cedar
Euonymus 'Emerald Gaity', 'Harlequin', 'Aureo-Marginata', ''Moonshadow', 'Green Spire', 'Manhattan', 'Silver King'	Euonymus varieties
Hedera helix 'Thorndale'	English Ivy espaliered
Ilex crenata 'Chesapeake', 'Compacta', 'Excelsa', 'Helleri', Schwoebel','Nigra', 'Schwoebel Compacta', 'Sky Pencil', 'Steeds', 'Softouch'	Japanese Holly cultivars
Ilex glabra 'Compacta', 'Shamrock'	Inkberry
Ilex pedunculosa	Longstalk Holly
Ilex x 'Blue Maid', 'China Boy, 'China Girl', 'Dragon Lady'	Hybrid Holly
Juniperus virginiana 'Burkii', 'Manhattan'	Eastern Red Cedar cultivars
Magnolia grandifolia 'Bracken's Brown Beauty', 'D.D. Blanchard'	Southern Magnolia
Picea abies 'Cupressina'	Columnar Norway Spruce
Pieris japonica 'Scarlet O'Hara'	Japanese Andromeda
Pyracantha 'Mohave'	Firethorn
Rhododendron Cunningham's White, 'Boursault', 'Roseum Elegans'	B&B Rhododendron
Sciadopitys verticillata	Umbrella Pine
Taxus cuspidata 'Captain'	Japanese Yew
Thuja occidentalis 'North Pole'	Columnar American Arborvitae

 

Birch, Redbud, Bloodgood Japanese Maple and others in the new tree block in Newtown.