Look for characteristic patches and spots on leaves to check for mildew. Doing so afterward may result in leggy growth. Many rhododendron spe-cies and hybrids can be severely pruned and come back as good as new. Sarah Sarahm1@swsolutionsinc.com. First, the ideal time to do undertake rejuvenation pruning is not after flowering (that’s when you do light pruning), but rather early in the spring, before the start of the growing season. In general, rhododendrons require little pruning. Some smooth-barked rhododendrons make little if any growth from stumps, while the following hybrids will not give you multiple shoots from below a pruning cut: Alice, Bagshot Ruby, C. B. van Nes, Mrs. C. B. Hello fellow readers, They’re long and leggy which is evident from the photo of the garden dilemma shared by Melanie of Newton. But if your rhododendron has become leggy … How to Prune Rhododendrons. Rejuvenation pruning calls for dras-tic cuts on old wood Rejuvenation pruning is best used to restore shrubs that have become leggy, overgrown, or otherwise unattractive. Tall, leggy plants should be replaced with smaller varieties or plants having a low, mounding growth habit. In fact, the American Rhododendron Society recommends trimming the bush to control its size, if you want to pick the flowers for an arrangement or to remove spent blooms through the season. Cutting back a rhododendron leaves little more than stubs… but don’t worry, it will grow back. If an older plant is leggy, prune farther down … To remove old flower trusses on rhododendrons, use a pruning shear to snip the truss at its base, about 1/2 inch above the emerging flush of new growth. Photo: properlandscaping.com. Azalea and Rhododendron Pruning and for or all other evergreen shrubs that flower in late winter, spring, or early summer. The last couple of years it has become quite leggy. All rhododendrons can be pruned to maintain their natural habit, but to try to keep a tall growing rhododendron small or low growing is not practical. Pruning a rhododendron can seem counterproductive after spending so much time coaxing it to bloom and grow. Actually these vary in ability to respond to hard pruning, some do not come back well at all. How to Prune an Old Leggy Rhododendron. Better than fixing leggy rhododendrons is preventing them from getting that way in the first place. How to Prune Young Potted Rhododendrons. There are hundreds of rhododendron varieties (Rhododendron spp. Posted by Horticulture Guy - Peter Punzi | Posted in Northwest U.S. Gardeners | Posted on 01-07-2006 Q. I have a beautiful Rhoddy which is about 6ft. "Rhododendrons International" Vol. However, there are easier and better ways to prune in your garden. Leggy Rhododendrons. Rejuvenation Pruning. The difference usually comes down to maintenance pruning, which should be done on an annual basis. Pruning large rhododendrons … Pruning Leggy Rhododendrons 0. It may seem like there will be no reward for the time and effort you have put into drastically cutting the rhododendron back to a mere 6-inch tall shrub, but the reward will come in a few short years. Their recovery illustrates how well some leggy rhododendrons respond to pruning. If a young rhododendron is leggy, pinch the terminal leaf buds in the spring. Thanks. In general, rhododendrons require little pruning. It is still a good idea to do some pruning to force more sprouting and get the plant more dense. When a plant needs a new start, bring out all the pruning equipment. high. Since buds form on next year’s flowers, by the time blooming has stopped, they are already well advanced. She and her husband acquired a lake-side fixer-upper built over a half-century ago. Well grown rhodos will be bushy, with leaves covering the whole plant. By Susan . This is the key step to developing the dense bushy plant that you are after. 5 RI is an online journal distributed free to everyone that contains articles of broad interest. There were a lot of blossoms this year, but grouped at the end of the branches, which seem to be pretty weak. The rhododendrons have grown taller than the house and branches are resting on the roof. How to trim a Rhododendron. Certain dwarf rhododendron varieties can grow up to 6 feet tall, so branches on mature shrubs can be quite sturdy. And it sounds like what you have is foliage mildew, specimens so infested may not recover well from hard pruning even if a variety that normally would bonce back otherwise. This will force dormant buds to grow, producing multiple branches. ), not to be confused with azaleas, which are from the same family. pruning rhododendrons by pinching back new growth The final thing you want to do is to pinch or snap off the new growth back when it’s a couple of inches long. … Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) Jul 6, 2020 - Explore whitbybay whitbybay's board "Pruning rhododendrons" on Pinterest. The most basic form of pruning - often sufficient, is simply to dead-head the old flowers - before they are allowed to make seed - by cutting back to first set of buds. To further complicate matters, some Rhododendrons are naturally leggy and all the pruning in the world, should it survive such treatment, will not result in a more compact plant. You can cut back woody branches into areas where no leaves or lower twigs exist. The plant can grow and rejuvenate itself without pruning, but it is good maintenance practice. ANSWER: Hi Sarah... You have a lovely rhododendron. This doesn't really solve the problem, since the rhododendron will still be leggy, even if more confined. Staggered renovation. Subject: Pruning rhododendron Message: My rhododendron has gotten leggy, so it does not screen the electric box. Pruning limitations. Pruning Rhododendrons Posted by admin in Maintenance, Shrubs. Others, such as rigidum and Sappho, can begin looking leggy … In fact, the American Rhododendron Society recommends trimming the bush to control its size, if you want to pick the flowers for an arrangement or to remove spent blooms through the season. Remember that pruning a rhododendron is not as important as it is in other flowering plants. Follow up this hard pruning with a feed and mulch in spring. Rejuvenation pruning removes most of the branches of the plant, initi- Cut the plant back hard to about 8-10 inches from the ground. Take care not to pinch the flower buds that are fatter. have an attractive, natural shape that may lead you to believe they don't need regular pruning… In general, rhododendrons require little pruning. Such plants fall into RHS Pruning groups 8, 9 and 10 . high. Shape Pruning: Pruning for shape enhances the rhododendrons form and habit. Pruning is spread over two or three years to gauge response or maintain the natural shape. Maintenance pruning is the easiest type of pruning and is the only one that needs to be done every year. Pruning Leggy Rhododendrons. Some rhododendrons, such as fastigiatum, rarely if ever need to be pruned. Or too large, you should probably plan to fertilize your shrub in late winter, spring or... Too large, you can prune it drastically beautiful Rhoddy which is about 6ft should replaced. Back a rhododendron leaves little more than stubs… but don ’ t worry, is. Select the strongest, best placed shoots plants fall into RHS pruning groups 8, 9 and 10 become. 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