This week's column addresses when to pinch back annual and perennial flowers, characteristics of a good potting mix and caring for indoor azaleas.

Some of my taller flowers last summer grew too tall and flopped over. Can I pinch these back next year to control height without losing flowers? Most types of annual and perennial flowers can be ...

Pruning mums helps them grow fuller with longer-lasting blooms. Pinch tips at 4–6 inches tall, again at 12 inches tall, and stop about 100 days before bloom. Deadhead spent flowers once blooming ...

Pinch back your mums for the final time. To prevent leggy mums that bloom too early, many gardeners pinch back the tip of each stem two or three times between May and early July. By following this ...

Prune hostas in fall after frost for tidy beds, but waiting until spring protects crowns and roots. In summer, remove dead or damaged leaves and spent flowers to keep plants healthy. Always cut with ...