Young plants can be trained to hug fence or wall

Espaliered plants are used for softening large blank spaces on walls or fences. To train espaliers, twigs and branches are bent to meet design requirements when young and supple.

Carefully tie the branches in place with raffia or plastic tape. The ties should be secured loosely so the flow of water and nutrients through the stem is not constricted.

Make adjustments to the ties during the remainder of the growing season as necessary.

• When using power equipment such as a weed whip in the garden, wear protective glasses and earplugs. The plastic line can kick up debris that could injure your eyes or sting your legs if you are wearing shorts.

The line can also damage the bark of trees and strip paint off fence posts.

Some equipment can be loud, making ear protection especially important if you are using it for an extended period of time. I use earmuffs when mowing the lawn and whenever I use a leaf blower.

• Pinch fall-blooming plants such as chrysanthemums and hardy asters to control their size and increase production of flowers. Pinching will encourage side branching, producing bushier, stockier plants.

Make the first pinch when plants reach 6 to 8 inches in height by removing approximately 1 inch from the tip of each shoot. When the resulting lateral branches reach 6 inches, pinch them as well. These plants should not be pinched later than July 4 in the Chicago area, as flower buds are formed at this time and late pinching can delay or prevent flowering.

• There is a lot of winter damage on Japanese maples and other shrubs this year. If a Japanese maple has not leafed out yet, then it is most likely dead, as are any branches without leaves at this point in time. Prune out any dead branches on trees that have leafed out. Once that is done, you can assess whether or not your tree is worth saving.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.