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| I have a beautiful Gold Mop Cypress that needs trimming. It was planted 7 years ago and is now getting too close to the driveway. It is about 4½ feet tall and the same width, at the base.
What is the best way to trim it back, and when is the best time? TIA Sue |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Jun 24, 10 at 17:05
| one thing for sure.. do NOT trim it like a shrub.. prune it like a conifer ken |
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| Thanks, Ken. Now I have another question. How do you trim a conifer? Sue |
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| C'mon, Ken. Let's have some details. I wouldn't have the first idea of how to prune this particular shrub AT ALL without ruining its natural form. Should this plant be moved rather than butchered, or is there a way to prune it? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Jun 25, 10 at 8:50
| sorry i was being a bit devilish .. there is a conifer forum .... though i really dont care where you post.. the first step is to understand what you are dealing with.. rather than relying on common names .... your plant is a conifer.. not a shrub.. the pruning rules.. specifically ... deviate wildly ... then with trees and conifers.. we have to find the annual growth rate ... and decide if this is something that is prunable.. or whether.. as rhizo suggests.. something that would be better off moved ... the hotlink suggests up to 6 inches per year ... now we need either a picture of where it is.. or you to make that decision .... transplanting would be done in fall or winter, depending where you are ... then go here, for a general intro to conifers [there are problems with the website, since i dont expect you to download anything, they are irrelevant]: http://www.britishconifersociety.org.uk/bcs/index.php?module=htmlpages &func=display&pid=3 then go here for some thoughts on pruning: http://www.conifersociety.org/cs/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file =article&sid=19&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 then.. if all that fails.. the peeps in the conifer forum might help .. and a picture good luck ken ps: better rhiz???? |
Here is a link that might be useful: insert gold mop in culitvar name if the link is not direct .
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| Gold star, you devil. |
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| Ken, sorry I didn't recognize your devilishness. And I didn't realize that the question was one that might require a rocket science type response. In most forums new posters are usually greeted with a little more friendliness. Sue |
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| Hey, Ken is being extremely helpful! He is a huge conifer lover and aficionado. I'd pay good attention to the the sites he has referred you to. About the only way he could have been more helpful would have been to board a plane and show you in person. The truth of the matter is that conifers should not be treated like other shrubs. They can be ruined with improper pruning, not being able to recover their natural shape after being trimmed back to a desired size. Mind you, some people honestly think that little conifer balls, cubes, cones, and other assorted geometric shapes are desirable. That's ok, but it seems such a shame to alter shrubs with such attractive and sought after forms. Lots of people disagree with me. In some instances, conifers can be sheared on a regular basis for the purpose of creating great hedges and topiary. That's why I suggested he try to educate you a bit, and allow you to make a good decision. Prune to a natural form (if possible), cube the plant, or move it. |
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