In this stressful spring, we’ve been cheered by the bright blooms of flowering shrubs and ornamental trees such as forsythia, quince, viburnum, lilac, cherry, crabapple and redbud. If these plants ...

I got an email from one of my readers a couple of weeks ago who has enjoyed my column for a number of years, and she asked me whether she should prune her lilac now and how she should go about pruning ...

Pruning is a science, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. There are some pruning guidelines that act as a starting point that make pruning a bit easier. Choosing the correct tools for the job will ...

Now is the time to focus our attention on the outdoors again, if only for a short time. Winter is the proper time to prune many summer-flowering trees and shrubs. Pruning is done to keep trees and ...

Q: What’s growing on the trunk of my lilac tree? — Phyllis D. A: Your photo shows mushrooms growing on the trunk, which are the visible, exterior "fruiting bodies" of fungi. Mushrooms generally live ...

I asked an experienced arborist the other day what he thought about pruning apple trees in the fall. His answer was the same as mine: “Prune when you have time and the pruners in your hand.” Yes, ...

Q: My lilac shrub has grown taller than I am. Consequently, I can no longer see or smell the flowers well enough to enjoy them. Pretty soon it will be time to prune our trees and shrubs. Is winter the ...

I have three sugar maple trees in my yard. Is that enough to tap for maple syrup? Where can I find information on how to tap trees and make the syrup? - Nicolas, Kenosha. Yes, you can tap three maple ...

Q: I planted a lilac tree in my backyard about 10 years ago. The yard is small and relatively shady, although the tree does receive some sun each day. One big Norway maple and a number of smaller ones ...

Answer: Good news — you can wait even longer. For maximum flowering effect, keep your clippers in their scabbard until after the lilac flowers have senesced (faded). Lilac bushes bear flowers on last ...

The lush fragrance of lilacs is one of the delights of spring. Most neighborhoods have a few lilac bushes, covered in late April or early May with clusters of tiny purple flowers shaped like bunches ...