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Author: John

When and how to prune climbing roses
When and how to prune climbing roses to get the best out of them

When and how to prune climbing roses to get the best out of them

While most roses require only a light pruning, if left alone, climbing roses become a tangled mess of stems and branches without many blooms. Prune climbing roses in the late autumn or early winter, before frost sets in, by cutting off unwanted stems and tying new ones to the support. This enables your climbing rose to grow strongly and healthily and protects young shoots from heavy winds. Four reasons to prune climbing roses When to prune climbing roses Climbing roses…

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How to grow and care for roses
A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Roses: Tips and Tricks for Success

A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Roses: Tips and Tricks for Success

For a long time, roses have been associated with the traditional English garden. I’ve been personally growing them for over 20 years and my family has grown them on their nursery for over 40 years. But lately, rumours have been spreading as to how difficult it is to grow and care for roses. While I admit that, these plants are susceptible to several pests and diseases, maybe even more than most, they’re not really more high maintenance than other plants…

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How to plant a bare root rose step by step
Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Plant Bare Root Roses Like a Pro

Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Plant Bare Root Roses Like a Pro

Bare root roses are one way you can buy a rose plant and are usually a little cheaper, too, when compared to buying them already potted. You basiclly get them at the same time as nurseries, but they pot them up to sell in summer, but you can plant them straight into your garden or into pots. As they come without soil around the roots, you need to plant them quite quickly or at least heal them into some soil…

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Growing and caring for Pyracantha
Growing and caring for Pyracantha (firethorn)

Growing and caring for Pyracantha (firethorn)

Pyracantha is also known as firethorn for its brilliant flame-coloured berries. It’s a hardy shrub that’s easy to grow and look after, and it’s actually one of my favourite shrubs. You can use it as a stand-alone shrub, as a hedge or train it to grow up a wall or trellis. I cover all of this here and tell you how about caring for pyracantha in most gardens. About pyracantha Pyracantha is a shrub with prickly leaves that grows to…

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Why is my pyracantha losing its leaves?
Why is my pyracantha losing its leaves?

Why is my pyracantha losing its leaves?

Your pyracantha may be losing its leaves due to something you’re doing or to something in the natural world. Perhaps you’re under-watering it, or maybe some bugs have moved in. You need to do a bit of detective work to figure out the problem and to put things right. The most common cause is usually a water issue, not enough or too much, then you have diseases such as pyracantha scab that attack the flower’s leaves and stem, causing the…

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How to prune pyracantha & avoid removing flowering stems
How to prune pyracantha & avoid removing flowering stems

How to prune pyracantha & avoid removing flowering stems

Pyracantha takes kindly to pruning. But that doesn’t mean that you should grab your (sterilised) pruning shears and start hacking away at the plant. I start this guide with the reasons to prune your pyracantha, add in some tips, and then tell you when and how to go about pruning. If you’re looking for a quick summary, Pyracantha should be pruned in late winter or early spring to promote healthy growth and flowering. It’s important to avoid pruning during the…

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Why is my pyracantha dying?

Why is my pyracantha dying?

Don’t write off your pyracantha plant just yet. What seems to be a dying pyracantha can often be saved. Here are the most common problems with pyracantha and how to deal with them. Pyracantha leaves falling off This is such a common problem that I wrote a whole article about it and how to deal with it. Please read Why is my pyracantha losing its leaves for great information. Problems with pyracantha flowers and berries The problems here could range…

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Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries
Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries?

Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries?

Your pyracantha not flowering may be due to natural causes, something in the garden environment or something that you did. A similar problem is that a pyracantha is flowering but is not producing berries. I deal with both issues in this guide, identifying common causes and detailing what to do about them to promote flowers and then berries. Your pyracantha not flowering could be as simple as the ground being too dry when flowers are developing. Or a late frost…

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Pyracantha pests and diseases
Pyracantha Troubleshooting: Pests & Diseases

Pyracantha Troubleshooting: Pests & Diseases

Although pyracantha is a hardy plant, several pests and diseases can be a real problem for pyracantha. The two more serious diseases that attack pyracantha (also known as firethorn) are Pyracantha fireblight and pyracantha scab. More on these further down. When it comes to pests, you have the usual aphids that are easy to control and mainly attack new lush foliage in spring. However, woolly aphids and pyracantha leaf-mining moth are two insects that prey on pyracantha and can do…

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Why is my palm tree dying?

Why is my palm tree dying?

In these kinds of articles, I usually say not to worry, your plant probably isn’t dying, it’s just sick and needs a little care and attention and a little love. But in the case of a palm tree, it may actually be on the verge of death. Here’s how to tell if your palm tree really is on the way out or whether it just needs some treatment and care. The first step to saving a dying palm tree is…

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