They can be dug up, divided and transplanted with greater ease than if they are putting out new succulent growth in early spring.

Cut the long neck back to where there is green succulent growth.

The animals, hungry for a change from the straw of last year's forage, were nibbling the succulent new growth.

The spruce gall aphid feeds on the young succulent new growth at the end of the branch tips.

Planting is recommended at this time of year because the plants do not have to support succulent top growth, which requires abundant moisture.

In fact, it will stimulate new succulent growth and better bloom.

Then succulent growth can be trimmed back to keep the plants in shape.

But more fertilizer applications than this will promote rapid, succulent growth, make frequent mowing necessary and usually exacerbate disease problems.

Water shoots (weak, succulent growth on branches often stimulated by pruning) provide a perfect route into the trunk and should be cut out.

But since abelia blossoms on the wood that grows in summer, it can be cut back hard in early spring to form succulent top growth.