Q: Could you give me some guidelines for trimming my hibiscus? It is blooming now. I see that some gardeners like to hedge them like a box, but I would like a more natural look. I appreciate the practical information you give each week.

A: Rose of Sharon, other hibiscus and shrubs that bloom on the ends of the new growth in the late summer or fall should be pruned right after they finish blooming. These shrubs can also be pruned just as new growth starts in the spring.

Many gardeners have not gotten around to pruning their spring-blooming shrubs, but at this point they should not prune them until next spring after they bloom (if flowers are desired). Most spring bloomers have already set their flower buds for next spring, so pruning now will cut them off.

To get inspiration for a natural appearance, you need to look at other plants of that species that have not been pruned (or at least not very much), and the pattern their branches follow. For instance, hibiscus plant leaves and side branches are arranged on the main branches in an alternating left-right pattern, rather than an opposite pattern where both side branches appear at the same position along the main branch. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Prune back to a side branch any branch that points in the direction you want the growth to continue.

You can make a branch shorter and aim to the left or right, whichever direction will be best for the future. For instance, you usually shouldn't cut back to a branch pointing in toward the middle of the plant. By pruning every branch back to a side branch aimed where you want the new growth to go, you can shorten the plant and keep it looking natural now and in the future.

If you prune a branch back to a right-facing bud or side branch, the new growth will grow out toward the right. If you cut the same branch back to a right-facing bud several prunings in a row, the branch will grow around a corner, or, say, alongside a sidewalk, instead of directly toward it. Don't worry if you mess up a few branches, they will grow back.

Q: Will the sap from my live oaks kill my St. Augustine grass? I have noticed in the past that the sap is so heavy that it gets all over the cars, and gives everything a greenish-black tint.

A: The sap would be coming from insects feeding on the trees. That much sap could be a sign that there are so many insects that the trees are being harmed. Many tree species are susceptible to sucking insects. The only bad thing that could happen to the lawn and other plants under the trees is that a fungus called "sooty mold" could grow on the sap and block the good plants' leaves from sunlight. An occasional spray with a hose or some other form of irrigation can wash the sap and soot off the other plants.

Sooty mold is a problem because it looks like black soot when it covers anything, not just plants. Don't park your car under one of those trees while they are infested with insects.

The trees should be examined for scale insects, aphids and other sucking insects. A systemic insecticide may be sprayed or painted on the tree trunks, where it will soak in and move to the leaves, killing those insects without killing other good insects in the yard.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@greenerview.com. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.