Return to the Shrubs Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
Weigela red prince question!

Posted by hummersteve 6 (My Page) on
Tue, Apr 20, 10 at 10:50

I am a greenhorn to the shrub game and recently purchased a weigela wine and roses and 2 red prince shrubs. My question is I have read that you should prune immediately after the bloom period is over. Maybe someone could explain exactly how to do that or direct me to a vid showing how to. I might add I have been watering most every day and the large red prince 2gal size is fully loaded with buds and looks ready to explode at any moment. Any advice or tips would be welcome.


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: Weigela red prince question!

on a recent transplant ...

more leaves.. means more food production.. means more root growth.. means faster ESTABLISHMENT ...

personally .. i would not prune it for 2 or 3 years ...

what makes you think it needs such so soon???

as to watering.. you water WHEN THEY NEED WATER ... not every day ...

insert finger into the soil.. and do not water again until the soil is dry .. or hot/warm [which means it will be dry in a few days] ... water deeply.. thru the root zone you planted .... instead of superficial shallow waterings ...

when i plant just about anything .. in april.. in my south MI SAND .... with proper initial watering ... and good mulch ... I MAY NOT WATER AGAIN UNTIL LATE JUNE.. when the temps start getting very very warm ... which is when damp spring soil finally starts to dry ....

i am really worried you are over-watering ... especially if you have any kind of clay soil ...

MULCH PROPERLY

you are on the verge .... of loving your new plants to death ... as are too may newbies .... relax.. odds are they will be fine ....

ken


 o
RE: Weigela red prince question!

The best tip would be to NOT prune newly planted shrubs. Even though 2 gallon size, surely they don't need pruning at this early stage. Give them a couple or three years to acclimate and grow then prune any wayward or dead branch or a branch growing along the ground... or are you trying to train them into ducks or some other shape nature never intended?

From eHow...
When the time comes that your plants actually need pruning... "don't prune weigela late in the year, it won't have time to produce flower buds for next spring. If you trim it too early (before it flowers) you'll be cutting off the flower buds and it won't bloom until the following year. The best time to prune weigela is immediately after the last flowers have faded, in early to mid-summer. The best way to trim weigela is to use clippers and cut it back to the desired size, although cutting the stems back 1/3 is often the rule of thumb. This helps to maintain weigela's graceful shape and form.Before you start, there are some things you should keep in mind. Pruning cuts should be made just above a bud or shoot. When pruning back, make the cut on a slight slant one-quarter inch above a healthy bud. The direction in which the top remaining bud is pointing will determine the direction of new growth."


 o
RE: Weigela red prince question!

I think I used a wrong choice of words, what I thought I read was to not actually prune , but deadhead immediately after the flowers fade because if you wait till later you will be cutting out next years flowers as one of you mentioned. Thanks both of you for replying.


 o
RE: Weigela red prince question!

If you don't like the look of faded, spent flowers - and the wind or rain doesn't eventually take care of it for you - simply pinch them off at the base of the bloom. That way you're neither pruning nor cutting into any woody part of the shrub.


 o Post a Follow-Up

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.



 
Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.