Generally speaking, conifers are trees and shrubs with needles that set seeds in cones. Yews, junipers and ginkgos produce cones, too, but they’re fleshy and appear berry-like. Ginkgos are ...

“Prune a conifer?” you ask. Well, as Dylan Thomas said, we need “to begin at the beginning.” Conifers are cone-bearing trees that produce tiny pollen cones in spring followed later by more substantial ...

Q: In December, I passed a rhododendron in full bloom. Is that normal? A: There are a few rhododendron varieties that bloom in the heart of winter. You probably saw R. ‘Rosamundi’ or R. ‘Christmas ...

March kicks off the tree pruning season. When it comes to pruning conifers like spruce, pine and yew, March is a little early and here are important tips and rules to keep in mind. As with any plant, ...

Q: I need to prune an arborvitae hedge because it is too tall. I’d like to remove 3 or 4 feet off the top of these shrubs. When is the best time to prune them? A: Late winter or early spring is ...

SEATTLE — Gardening expert Ciscoe Morris said pruning dwarf conifers can be tricky in the Evergreen State because they never stop growing here. He demonstrated on his Hinoki cypress spiralis. “If I ...

Where I live, we have gotten more rain than normal this past month and I have not been able to do as much pruning as usual so on the pretty days, I have had to do extra work to get it done. Pruning ...

Editor’s note: Throughout the growing season, Mike Hogan, OSU Extension educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Franklin County, will answer gardening and home landscape questions submitted ...