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Clethra: How to encourage growth?

Posted by onthebrinck (My Page) on
Mon, Jun 21, 10 at 6:25

I planted a pair of Clethra this Spring. The plants were pruned twice in their lifetime before they got to me. There are 1/2 dozen thicker stems up from the ground that were cut at 18" and then produced 2 or 3 minor stems each that grew another 12" and were lopped off at that height. All the stems show nice vertical growth. They were, as expected, late to leaf. Now that I have them, all the new growth is from 30" up and is quite lush and healthy.

Should I allow this to continue (this being the first year) or should I be doing something to encourage growth below the 30" --- and if so, how do I do that?


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RE: Clethra: How to encourage growth?

Leave it alone. General rule = don't prune newly planted/transplanted plants.

If it has adequate moisture, it will eventually do a bit of suckering to fill in the legginess. Won't happen this year. Probably won't happen next year. Won't happen ever if it's in a droughty spot. These things like moisture. Really, really important to see that it gets plenty, especially the first couple of years in the new spot.


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