Expert Advice on Home Improvement TV Host of Emmy®-Nominated Today's Homeowner® and home expert for The Weather Channel

We’re all interested in making our money go farther, and the money we spend on landscaping is no exception. The first and most obvious idea is to not waste your money. Lots of homeowners spend huge amounts on plants that end up in the wrong locations.

Strange as it may seem, shaking your fruit trees will help them produce more fruit. This is because it loosens the vessels that carry sap to the leaves and buds. Some people even opt to “whip” their fruit trees with a rolled up newspaper.

Removing limbs from trees and shrubs is a necessary part of gardening, but you must do the job correctly. To avoid splintering the cut, make a relief cut a foot or so outside the branch collar.

Trees add a lot to any landscape but choosing the right one at the garden center or nursery makes all the difference in it’s success in the yard. Begin by looking for a straight center trunk with fairly symmetrical branch structure.

Staking and tying off a leaning tree is a fairly common practice, but it can be avoided by properly planting the tree in the first place. Often times trees lean because of limited access to sunshine.

For a professional finish around trees planted in the lawn, loop a rope around the tree trunk and the shaft of a spade. Adjust the length so that the spade reaches to the drip line of the tree. Scribe the outline of a circle, then remove the rope and retrace the circle, sinking the spade vertically to make a neat, clean edge.

Certain times of the year nurseries will have bare root trees such as fruit trees and roses. Late winter and early spring are great times to find and purchase these. The nursery will typically have them in wood chips which need to be completely removed before planting so that they do not rob the tree of nutrients.

Accidentally rip a branch off your favorite bush? If it came off with a tiny bit of the main branch, you can use it to start a new shrub. Trim the bark “heel” down a bit and remove any leaves from the bottom half of the shoot. Dip the tip in rooting hormones, tap off any extra powder and plant it in a sterile mix of sand and peat moss.

Protect vulnerable shrubs and trees from potential weed whacker or lawn mower accidents. Keep a plastic juice bottle, slit down the side (with the top and bottom removed) tied to your machine. Stop before working too close to plants and slip the bottle around the trunk while you weed or mow in that area. Remove the bottle when you move on.