12 Late-Summer Yard and Garden Upgrades

A few minutes spent pruning is one of the best things you can do for the plants in your yard, but it's one of the most neglected tasks of homeowning. Why? Because for most of us, it's a black art. The risks of butchery seem high, and the rewards low. "But pruning isn't difficult," says This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. "And what you get in return is thicker foliage, more flowers, and healthier plants."

In Everything You Need to Know About Pruning and Dividing Plants, we show you a few simple pruning techniques and how to apply them. Once you've mastered those, it's just a matter of timing.

According to Roger, the best time for division is either in early spring, as soon as new growth is visible above the ground, or in the fall, after they have finished blooming. See How to Divide Perennials for more.