Q: When I took my Master Gardener's classes in South Carolina, they taught us that butterfly bushes needed to be cut back almost to the ground every winter or they would become tall and weedy. When we ...

Dear Neil: My vitex plant (unknown age) had sparse leaves and a few small blooms following the February cold spell. Should I prune it back, take it out, or just wait and see what happens? Vitex Should ...

Q. I have a large vitex that grows rapidly in spring and produces many blooms. What is the best time to prune this tree, and how much can I prune? B.M., Cypress A. Late winter is an ideal time to ...

Q: I moved to a house with established beds, one with a 12- to 14-foot vitex that had never been pruned. I pruned smaller, crossing branches, but because it is so tall, it is impossible to cut spent ...

Mid- to late-winter provides an excellent opportunity to prune a variety of plants in the landscape. Plants that can be pruned now include most hedges, shrubs and shade trees, and summer-flowering ...