|
| ok .. first.. you get a hate on for the monster ... it really helps you clarify your thought process ...
first.. we enjoy the flowers ... after flowering is past ... we get to work ... as you can see.. its getting ready to get into the lawn.. its gotta be taught a lesson
here it is from the other side ...
here.. i have gone at it a bit ... starting with the thickest branches ... as close to the ground as i can get ...
and more
and more
and then i got the shovel.. and started digging out all the flopping branches that rooted in ... too bad you peeps werent here to get a free plant .. they all went into the burn pile
and here is the end result
and here... from the other side
and here is the sister plant.. which will get the same this year.. if i get around to it ...
and a couple others that need it
can you see.. with this lilac.. the interior plant.. that will be left.. when you cut all the thick trunks out.. reducing height by 2-3 feet??? ... the lower canopy within????
|
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| Haha....good luck with the lilac. It won't flower for you again until it's VERY rapidly grown out to precisely the size it is now. At least the Spirea will be somewhat better behaved. You'd be better off following the 1/3 rule every year with the Spirea rather than waiting until you have to chop the whole thing down. |
|
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, May 24, 12 at 16:37
| since you all are asking about spirea.. and these pix were still in my PB album.. i am bumping this.. and smiv is wrong on the lilac... i agree i might lose a year.. but it bloomed at half the height it is now.. so why should it need to get the same height again ... anyone care to link this to the multitude of spirea ???'s .. feel free ... ken |
|
| The lower 1/2 of an older shrub is often bare and unattractive. There are two approaches to rejuvenating the shrub (other than replacing it). The easiest and worst way to do it is to just hack the whole thing down. It will most likely come back, but in desperation, the lilac may send up lots of suckers that grow straight up and take years to strengthen and develop any character or blooms. The best way to rejuvenate an older lilac is to remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the oldest, woodiest stems as close to the ground as possible. At the same time, cut back the remaining branches a few inches, being sure to leave enough leaves to feed the plant for the summer. This encourages suckering. The following spring, do the same thing again, removing more of the oldest remaining stems. If there are too many suckers forming, select the strongest few and trim out the rest. Continue this process each spring until the shrub has been totally rejuvenated. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Lilac care
|
| The most effective approach varies with the specific kind of shrub. "Flowering shrubs" is too broad. And usually when cutting most of the top away that is done in winter, as mentioned in regard to lilacs in the preceding post. |
|
| Yes. I'm glad you posted this because I've just severely pruned my spirea vanhouttei hedge and boy does it look pitiful. Last week it screened my garden from the street and now it almost is - no more.. Worse, I only cut off the tops of older canes because new growth is only emerging higher up and not at the base of the shrubs. Right now they look like a bunch of six foot tall sticks with little green on top. I'm sure the hedge will bounce back to its former self but could I have done it better? I should add that in March I also removed some of the old growth cutting at the base of the shrubs. |
|
| You should have just cut the whole thing down all at once during winter. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Shrubs Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.