What sets look-alike homes apart in a neighborhood? Professional landscape design, says the National Garden Clubs.

Ever driven through a neighborhood where the houses looked pretty much alike, but some were clearly more interesting than others?

Take a closer look next time and you’ll soon spot the difference: landscape design. The grounds that surround a home can often make the difference between the ordinary and the spectacular.

And that, according to professionals, can be worth up to 15% more in a home’s valuation.So what does it take to have landscaping that stands out?

Good design, good planning and expert advice. “Having a good master plan going into a project can usually pay for itself in costly mistakes avoided,” says landscape designer Gail Dresner. “That’s not always easy to grasp at the front end, but any professional designer can tell stories of the grounds they had to go in to fix after a homeowner’s initial work proved disastrous.”

Professional landscape designers bring a level of expertise well beyond choosing plants. “Good landscape design is about more than aesthetics,” explains Dresner. “It’s about practical issues like irrigation, drainage, pest management, soil and fertilization.”

A well thought out plan combines the elements of good design–line, form, texture, scent and color–with a distinct process to fully incorporate the needs of the homeowner with the realities of the land.

The design process begins with a base map of the existing site followed by a site analysis diagram that indicated such things as weather and circulation patterns, orientation of the house, problem areas and more. Linda Engstrom, APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers), stresses circulation. “How are you going to walk through the space? What will you do there? A good designer will talk to the client about space usage and utilization to come up with a design that is as practical as it is aesthetic.”

Next comes a concept sketch where the shapes of planting areas and hardscape elements are roughed in. “I use a grid system developed from taking proportions off the house to create a unified design,” says Engstrom. After the client review of the concept sketch, the final plan is drawn up complete with planting list and perspective drawings to aid in visualization; instructions on installation and maintenance are also included.

“Obviously, there’s a good deal more to designing a landscape than just choosing trees and shrubs and planting them,” says Dresner. “The essence of landscape design is combining skill with artistic ability.” And it goes beyond plantings. Most designers can also assist with structures – like patios and arbors – and outdoor lighting of trees and shrubs for dramatic effect.

Good landscaping design can transform the outside of a house and separate it from the “me too” homes in the neighborhood. It will also say something distinctive about who lives there.

National Garden Clubs (NGC) is a not-for-profit educational organization with its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It is composed of 50 State Garden Clubs and the National Capital Area, 6,218 member garden clubs and 198,595 members.

Originally posted 2010-09-03 08:00:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Italians are known for their fresh ingredients and simple recipes, and pizza certainly is not excluded from the list. Just imagine, a cultural change took place all because Americans started growing this little herb in their gardens.

One of the greatest bits of information or tips anyone can glean from the Italians is their love of gardening. Although it is not the actual garden that gives it such a precious value, but the end product fresh ripe vegetables and fruit that are delivered from their little or not so little plot of plowed land.

Taking this principle of fresh ingredients to heart, anyone can then make their own pizza taste better and healthier than any veggie pizza on the market by creating their own pizza garden. Here’s how…

Choosing the Toppings:

There are endless toppings a person can choose from when designing their own pizza themed garden. So make sure to pick vegetables and fruit you actually enjoy eating. Although adding asparagus as a topping may sound chic and creative, it will not do much good if it simply gets picked off when the pizza is served.

Here are a few basic toppings most everyone in your family will enjoy and are easy to grow:

Fresh Tomatoes:

Tomatoes on top of a tomato based pizza sauce – yes you read that correctly. Adding thin (or thick depending on preference) slices of tomatoes as an additional toppings adds a greater depth to your pizza.

Pizza sauce (whether it includes meat or not) has a drastically different taste and flavor than that of fresh tomatoes. So don’t worry about having too much of a tomato flavor – fresh tomatoes are an excellent choice, and besides, who doesn’t grow tomatoes in a garden?

One tip to keep in mind is what type of tomato you want to grow and when will they actually produce. Some tomatoes are known for delivering in mid-summer, while others tend to hold off until the late summer months to produce a nice harvest.

Basil:

Basil is an amazing herb whose varieties are enjoyed in different cultures around the world. However, fresh Genovese Sweet Basil brings to life a dull pizza any day of the week, any hour of the day and any second of an hour.

Fortunately, basil grows easily with the tomatoes and are a great companion plant. In addition, basil enjoys the hotter weather and therefore is usually in full bloom around the same time tomatoes are producing making them not only compatible for the garden but for the pizza as well.

Here is a tip to keep in mind when using basil on your pizza. Never place basil on as a topping until the final minute of baking – and one can go so far as to say not until it comes out of the oven. This herb will dry up and lose its precious flavored natural oils if heated too fast and will leave you disappointed.

Green Peppers:

Not everything has to be as delicate as the tomato and basil pizza, but for those who have a natural leaning towards spicy foods, growing your own hot peppers can be an excellent choice for a pizza topping.

Peppers come in all sorts of varieties and it might be a good idea to plant a few different kinds to really mix things up from your red hot chili peppers to more mild banana peppers to even the crispy common green pepper.

Unlike the basil, peppers can be placed on a pizza before it goes into the oven and are liked by both those who favor meat toppings and those who prefer to go without.

Let’s Talk about the Dough:

Anyone can make a pizza dough at home. All it requires is olive oil, flour, yeast, lukewarm water and a dash of salt. You can also choose to buy your dough already made which many grocery stores will import from pizza makers in NY or PA and store in the freezer section where the breads are kept. Let the dough thaw over night in the refrigerator and you are ready to go the next day.

However, the easiest way to get your pizza dough is to buy the crust already precooked. The downside to this method is that it will most likely not have the “fresh” factor and quite frankly not all of them taste very good.

Here is a quick recipe for homemade pizza dough:

1. Start by dissolving 1 tsp salt into lukewarm water along with 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast in a large bowl
2. Then let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast foams a little
3. Gradually add 3 cups of flour to the water and knead until the dough becomes a smooth elastic like texture . You do not want the dough sticky, so gently add more flour a little at a time until the right consistency is achieved
4. Roll into a ball, cover and put in your fridge overnight. If you need it the same day, keep it out, covered, and wait for half an hour to an hour for it to rise
5. When ready, roll out onto a greased pizza pan and bake at 400F for about 8 to 15 minutes or depending on the thickness of the dough and toppings used.

Margarita Pizza:

This pizza is very popular in Italy and has its roots in Naples, Italy where it first became popular. It does not use a sauce but relies on fresh garden ingredients to satisfy the appetite.

1. To make a margarita pizza which uses two of the ingredients above simply slice your tomatoes (meaty ones are best such as Roma), and place them on the pizza crust.
2. Next, slice some fresh mozzarella balls to the same thickness of the tomatoes. The regular blocks of mozzarella will not work – it must be fresh – the kind which you will find near the deli. Place the slices on the crust as well, spacing them between the tomatoes trying not to overlap
3. Bake in a 400F oven for approximately 14 minutes making sure to check that the cheese does not burn.
4. Right before removing from the oven, sprinkle generously with your fresh basil leaves and leave for 1 minute or less
5. Remove from oven and have a taste of heaven!

About the writer: Pizza is enjoyed by everyone, and that includes writer Liz Krause who owns and operates her own Italian cooking website. She enjoys writing about recipes and reviews of various products from the Waring Pro meat grinder to pizza slicers. Liz grew up in an Italian home and understands the benefits of growing fresh ingredients in the backyard believing fresh food and simple ingredients are the best way to enjoy Italian cuisine!

The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) is a bustling bundle of nervous energy showing up in Spring in garden trees and roadside shrubs throughout southern Canada and most of the United States.

The male bird arrives at his breeding ground to stake a claim before the females arrive. He looks for a low, wooded tract, preferably deciduous, at the far edge of a yard. When he finds it, he proclaims his rights. The male is a habitual nest starter. He stuffs any likely nesting cavity with twigs, grass and other materials, perhaps marking his territory or as an inducement to the female House Wrens when they arrive.

Male House Wrens are from Venus; female House Wrens are from Mars. Somehow the nest building gets done anyway.

As soon as the female appear, the male wren’s song draws her attention. He courts ardently, wings quivering, tail flicking straight up. If the female bird is receptive, he escorts her around his prospective nest sites. The female almost always disapproves of her mate’s home-building efforts.

So after she selects one of his sites she usually removes all the materials and starts the nest over again. The female collects strange items for the nest such as hairpins, nails, tacks, staples, safety pins, paper clips and hooks.

Controversies rage during the rejection and rebuilding of house wren nests. Pairs of house wrens often fight fiercely, but somehow the job gets done. The female lines the nest to suit her; while the male stands guard and sometimes starts another nest which may be used later for a second brood. He also may take up with a second female, for just as his mate is a shrew, he is a philanderer.

In the wild, house wrens nest in natural hollows or old woodpecker holes. Near human habitats, the birds make full use of whatever civilization may provide, including a weathervane or old farm machinery. They have also been known to set up housekeeping in a tin can in a garbage dump, a mailbox and a basket. House wrens also welcome boxes and birdhouses that people put out for them. To bar the house sparrows, wren houses should have an entrance hole no more than 1″ across. A slit that’s 1″ x 3″ provides an even better door, for it permits wrens to carry in twigs held crosswise in their bills.

House wrens often leave sticks jutting out from their entrances to help bar larger birds. Their six to eight eggs, finely sprinkled with reddish-brown dots, hatch in just 13 days. House wrens have a strong feeding instinct and are tireless parents. They work from early morning to late night, feeding their young and even feeding the young of other species, even a nestful of house sparrows which are the house wren’s worst enemies. Young house wrens leave the nest about two weeks after hatching.

As fall approaches, the birds grow shy and desert their homestead to find seclusion in the woods. Soon after that, they migrate.

Other Bird Articles:
Five Steps to Attracting Birds to Your Garden
Feed the Wild Birds, Feed your Soul
The Indigo Bunting: The Smallest Sparrow Warbler
Top 10 Most Common Blue Birds in Your Garden

Originally posted 2009-11-03 09:09:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sustainable landscape design combines beauty and practicality

Whether for resale value or just the daily enjoyment of your home, sustainable landscaping designs are great investments. 

Sure, you can create your own garden and landscaping plan.  But starting with a professional’s design ensures that all of the latest developments are incorporated.  After that initial stage, handling maintenance yourself will be simpler and more enjoyable. 

Rich Hayes of Green Acres Landscape in Indianapolis, IN, says homeowners should not underestimate the importance of good landscape design.  “It has been proven that the well planned, landscaped and maintained exterior of a home has a dramatic affect on the homeowner’s enjoyment and resale of a home.”

For example, to help homeowners become more educated, Hayes explains the maintenance involved in installing water features. This helps the make educated choices on not only what looks good, but what will benefit the environment and work for their family’s lifestyle. 

 Green Acres strives to be a sustainable business working with sustainable landscapes. From a business started in Rich’s garage in 1986, today the company is a  full-service, well staffed landscape contractor. Hayes says he works hard to leave the Green Acres’ “mark of quality and exceptional service in the Indianapolis  landscape industry  by having a clear mission of setting standards for the highest quality and sustainable landscape plants, products and professional workmanship to enhance and simplify our customer’s quality of life.” 

Landscape architects and professional designers know how to incorporate sustainable products and designs to complement your family’s lifestyle.  They take the information gathered from your family, as well as a complete survey of the land, climate and exposure on your property, and create a comprehensive design. 

But not every landscape designer is experienced in sustainable practices, and that’s one of Hayes’ pet peeves.  “Many landscape companies are doing projects with little or no expertise,” says Hayes. That type of work undermines the industry and “eventually involves cutting corners and service in some manner.” 

As more homeowners continue to stay closer to home it will drive the desire to create more inviting outdoor living spaces for their enjoyment.  Hayes warns homeowners that shoddy workmanship may not be obvious at first, but shows up in unstable walls or patios and substandard plantings over time. 

Landscape Design for a Backyard Sanctuary

A sustainable home carries that principle from property line to property line and everything in between.  The backyard is no exception. As with every home improvement investment, Hayes says homeowners must be educated before they embark on a project.  He offers these 7 tips for hiring a professional landscape contractor. 

1. Research and know as much as possible about the contractor they are looking to hire.
2. Understand the process of completing a project vs. your own expectations.
3. Ask about payment details, special promotions, discounts, warranties, guarantees, maintenance, requirements before the job starts.
4. Know the contact person for your job and what the schedule of completion is.  Insist the workforce shows up on time, everytime.
5. Offer your input is valuable. Hire a contractor who also thinks it’s important.
6. Insist that the workforce be professional and courteous and leave the jobsite organized and clean at the end of each work day.
7. Look for a landscape contractor who is knowledgeable in providing sustainable solutions in his design and installation. 

Hayes says Green Acres Landscape holds to its core values “even when no one is looking.”  They encourage homeowners to compost and haul any landscape waste to their nursery for recycling or composting whenever possible.

Originally posted 2010-03-04 11:32:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

When there’s a bumper crop of fresh herbs, the best way to preserve them is in oil. Here’s a great recipe to do this.

1. Pluck leaves from the stems and pack them down in a measuring cup.
2. Place two hard-packed cups of herbs in a blender or food processor.
3. Add 1 cup of good-quality cooking oil (such as extra-virgin olive oil) and blend until pureed.
4. Place in small containers, cover tightly and freeze.

Oil brings out the flavors of herbs. This method will keep them fresh up to six months. It works especially well with:

• Fresh dill
• Tarragon
• Oregano
• Sage
• Mints
• Lemon
• Thyme
• Basil

Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh herbs, so when substituting dried herbs for fresh, the ratio is one measure of dried herbs to three of fresh. This also works in reverse.

How much of a fresh herb to add to a recipe is a personal decision. Use common sense and Barclay’s axiom- “Stop adding when it turns green.” Fresh herbs will not overpower a dish as easily as dried, so do not be too concerned about overdoing it.

To chop herbs finely and quickly, place leaves in a bowl and use scissors to snip.

From NGC Club Program Lesson Plan #4, “Enchanting, Useful & Romantic Herbs.” Available from Member Services. With special thanks to Nell Denman, NGC Mentors Committee Chair.

Other Herb Articles:
Creeping Winter Savory Is Tasty Addition to Any Garden
Locating and Planning Your Herb Garden

Originally posted 2010-11-28 07:00:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

What do you do in the fall when your hanging baskets are spent? You can throw them out or compost the plant material and old potting soil, saving the pot for reuse next year. And while recycling the pot is great, repurposing it and getting another use out of it is my preferred choice.

Last year, Woodward Gardens, the school garden where I volunteer, started to repurpose the old hanging baskets which had been used to decorate the garden into table decorations for Christmas. It is simple to do and a great project for children and adults alike. Better yet, we asked the purchaser to bring the pots back after the holidays so we could repurpose them again.

Turn your dead hanging baskets into beautiful Christmas center pieces

Below are the five steps to create a holiday table decoration from a hanging basket:

Step one: Remove the hanging device from the baskets. These devices are usually make of plastic or metal wire and are easily removed. Save the hanging device so that in the spring the baskets can be replanted.

Step two: Cut off all of the dead plant material leaving only the potting soil and root ball. If the plant material is not diseased, put it in the compost bin. Otherwise, destroy the plant material so as not to spread disease.

The root ball left in the pot becomes the substrate that holds the greens in the table decoration. It replaces the green floral foam that is so often used in floral arrangements. The plant stems are then inserted into the root ball which provides structure to the arrangement by holding up the foliage. It will also keep the plant material hydrated with a light watering.

Step three: Gather greens to make the arrangement. Evergreen branches with needles make a great choice. These would include spruce, cedar, yews, fir, juniper, chamaecyparis or pine. Evergreen broad leafs will add another texture to the arrangement. Consider using rhododendrons, mountain laurel, evergreen magnolia, Oregon grape, boxwood, holly, salal or eucalyptus. We use red osier dogwood and berried branches as well for interest and color. Get creative!

Step four: Making sure the root ball in the basket is moist, cut the stems at a sharp angle to make it easier to pierce the root ball and enhance water uptake. Begin by placing the branches horizontal to the table surface. This will form the base of the arrangement, hide the pot and define the shape of the decoration. Then build toward the middle and create the height you are looking for. According to Dale Rohman, America’s Flower Man, the height of the arrangement should not exceed the distance from the tip of your fingers to your elbow. This insures that you can look over the arrangement while seated at the table.

Step Five: Add some bling for interest. This could be anything from a large candle in a glass hurricane placed in the center to red bows, silver balls, etc. Make the arrangement reflect your personality and have fun.

Before placing the completed project on your table, you will want to put a water tray beneath. With frequent light watering, it will last the whole Christmas season. And when the holidays are over, get ready to repurpose it once again by composting the plant material and root ball, putting the hangers back on and planting it as a spring hanging basket. In this way you will be able to recycle it for years, enjoying it indoors and out.

If you are like my family, you enjoy spending time outdoors, grilling, playing, gardening, and entertaining. Some months we are outside far more than in, so we make sure our yard is more than just a place to grow grass.

Landscaping, social areas, and an area to cook and eat are all areas that you can renovate to increase your living space, as well as the value of your home. It takes a little effort and time, but soon you could have a real retreat on your own property.

And, the best news is that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create an appealing outdoor space. Actually, you can create one on a very tight budget.

Second Time Around

Garage Sales are a great source for finding incredible deals on gently used items, or even some with the tags still on. I know of people who target the homes in high end districts for their garage sales. You can find high quality items, at a reasonable price.

A friend of mine found a beautiful Oxford Garden patio furniture set, never used, for less than half the retail price. You aren’t always going to find brand new items, but it certainly pays to check sales out, when you see one.

Another option is to shop at second hand stores. They often restore the items before selling them. At a decent second hand store, you can find high quality items, at a fraction of the cost.

The items you can find at garage sales and second hand stores might be a complete set of furniture, tableware, placemats, plastic cups, and more. It’s worth taking a look.

Laying the Groundwork

If you are going to have an outdoor area, then you probably want some type of patio flooring, at least for your table and chairs to sit on, if not larger.

Some options for flooring are gravel, pavers, and flagstone. Gravel is probably the easiest and cheapest flooring to get. However, it can be a problem with young children around. They tend to pick up everything they can get their hands on.

A natural flagstone is a nice choice due to the ease of installation and cost, as well as the appearance. They are heavier pieces and won’t disappear like gravel might.

I know someone who once took old bricks from a torn down house to build their patio floor. The old look of it gave them the rustic feel they were going for.

Pavers can also be used with various colors and shapes to create a very unique pattern.

Whatever you choose to go with, installing it yourself will save some money. But, it can be time consuming, so plan ahead.

Add a Splash of Color

Adding color to your outdoor space is no different than adding color to your interior rooms, with the exception of no walls to paint. Color adds character, as well as harmony to any area.

Items you can use to inexpensively add color and charm:

• A colorful birdhouse
• Flowers
• Colorful urns
• Pillows
• Umbrella
• Pads for the chairs
• Candles

You should be able to find all these items at a garage sale, or a second hand store. Even if you have difficulty finding them at these stores, they are still an inexpensive way to add color.

Lighting the Path

To light up your outdoor space, try using solar lighting. They work well, and you could save money by not having to pay an electrician to install anything.

Tiki torches can also be used for lighting, as well as keeping those pesky little mosquitoes at bay. Save some money by incorporating the lighting and repellent in one item.

Play Station

If you have children, a nice play area is an easy fix. Most kids love to play in sand, swing, and run around. Put in a large sandbox, but leave room for running and playing ball. A swing hanging from a tree is a nice and less expensive option to buying an entire playset.

This will give them something to do when playing at home, but also when you are entertaining guests outdoors.

A couple garden storage benches will allow for easy storage of their toys, without taking away from the atmosphere when entertaining.

Summing it Up

Hopefully I was able to share some ideas for you to create a nice outdoor space for your family, all while staying under budget.

About the Author

Melissa Cameron is a freelance writer, who through her articles, provides valuable tips and advice for her readers, often on how to save money, or ways make our lives easier. Melissa is in her early 30’s, married with 2 young children, living in Austin Texas. She loves to search the internet for new ideas and deals, and just recently discovered Twitter.

We enjoy ours very much, and get a lot of use out of it. I hope you all do as well!

You may have a lovely pond in your backyard, filled with fish and eye-catching water plants. However, sometimes we spend so much time on what goes into our water features that we may not give as much thought to what can be done with the perimeter.

Here are some plants that will thrive at the water’s edge:

Ornamental grasses. These plants add so much to a pond – height, texture, movement, even the sounds of swishing in the breeze. Grasses, with tall and spiky foliage, contrast well next to the relatively flat body of water. Tall, plumed grasses will do well on the far edges, with dwarf varieties from your pond on the sides.

Bulbs make for great waterside plants. You can choose bulbs to add color, diverse bloom shapes, height, and scent, depending on your needs.

Shrubs will likely be the sturdiest plants you select for the pond perimeter. These are great for adding a sense of permanence to a water’s edge that may also include grasses and blooms. Select dwarf varieties, no larger that 2 or 3 feet tall. You may want to pick shrubs that will offer berries or interesting flowers, which will add visual appeal as well as draw in wildlife.

Ferns, with their feathery fronds and deep colors, complete the classic poolside vision.

Originally posted 2008-06-04 16:16:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Loosely defined, evergreens are trees and shrubs that do not lose their leaves all at once in the fall. They do shed leaves or needles, but do so a little at a time throughout the year.

Pruning evergreen trees and shrubs accomplishes several things:

• It helps control size and shape of the plant.
• It helps open the interior of the plant to light. This aids in air flow, which helps avoid disease (particularly fungal diseases) and encourages fuller growth.
• It removes weak or diseased branches, improving the health of the plant.

When and How to Prune Evergreens
When and how you prune your evergreen depends upon the type of tree or shrub in question. In any case, you will need sharp, clean cutters—hand pruners for smaller branches and loppers or even a pruning saw for larger limbs. (Hedge trimmers are only for hedges!) Denatured alcohol or 10% Clorox solution can be used to disinfect your trimmers. This needs to be repeated during pruning, especially if you are removing diseased wood.

Pruning Broadleaf Evergreens
Broadleaf evergreens, like rhododendrons and azaleas, should be pruned immediately following flowering. This prevents missing out on this year’s blooms, but gives the plant a chance to set flowers for the following year.

Most broadleaf evergreens don’t require pruning, but can be trimmed and shaped if needed. Begin by removing dead or diseased portions as well as tightly spaced or crossed branches. Older plants that have become leggy can be pruned back to a more desirable shape. Work your way down the branch and cut just above an older leaf rosette. Even if the older leaves are gone, you should be able to locate a ring of bumps. Cut just above the ring and new shoots should appear from the new branch terminus.

Thinning small or weak interior branches can improve air flow and allow more light to reach the plant. This helps to reduce disease and encourages more vigorous, bushy growth.

Pruning Evergreen Shrubs
Evergreen shrubs, like juniper and arborvitae, can be pruned before new growth begins. This will vary by geographic region, but generally late March or early April is best. A second light pruning can be done in late June or early July to control new growth, if needed.

Again, begin by removing dead or diseased portions as well as tightly spaced or crossed branches. Hand pruning is preferable to using hedge shears or a power trimmer. With this tool you can selectively remove branches, reducing the size of the shrub without sacrificing its natural form. In this way you avoid exposing dead wood that will never produce new shoots. In addition, removing selected branches can help open up the interior of the plant. Just like with broadleaf shrubs, this allows light penetration and encourages bushier growth.

Pruning Evergreen Trees
Evergreen trees look best when allowed to grow in their natural form. With whorl-branched evergreens like pine, spruce, and fir, don’t prune back to an area where no needles or leaves are attached, as new branches will not form to conceal the stubs.

Prune spruce and fir trees in late winter, while they are still dormant. Cut just above a side bud or branch. Pine trees are pruned early June to early July when their new growth is in the “candle” stage. The “candle” is the tan-colored new growth that appears on the ends of each branch. Hand-pinching one-half of the candle’s length will limit the tree’s annual growth. Spruce and fir also put out a flush of growth in the spring, which is often a different color than the mature tree. This growth can also be pinched back to encourage denser growth.

Random-branched evergreen trees like cedar, cypress, and yew can be pruned using the guidelines listed under Pruning Evergreen Shrubs.

A Few Parting Pruning Tips!
Avoid pruning any evergreen in late summer or early fall. Pruning at this time can cause winter damage in plants. With very few exceptions, you want to avoid removing more than one-third of a tree’s branching system or more than two-thirds of a shrub or vine in any given year. Always prune to an outwardly facing bud, otherwise you will end up having to prune the new growth again! Don’t cut flush with a trunk or main branch. And, remember to stand back and reconsider your cuts once in a while—that way you avoid giving a plant a bigger “haircut” than you intended!