Thursday, May 22, 2008

Garden Hygiene 101: Spring Pruning

Get the most flower power per gardening hour this season by giving your favorite annuals and perennials a haircut! Many flowering plants will not only rebloom after a light pruning, but will actually explode with twice the number of flowers! Why? Because every time you cut a branch, it will respond by sending out two or more branches, all of which will soon have flowers. By pruning again midsummer, you will more than double the number of branches—and flowers—from late spring!
I know, that’s a lot of math, but trust us: YOU + PRUNERS + PLANTS = HAPPINESS.

Here’s a short list of plants that will rebloom after a light pruning:

Salvia
Lantana
Verbena
Cuphea
Duranta
Pride of Barbados
Canna
Esperanza