Rhododendrons, To Prune Or Not
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| Posted by: tiffyt |
Hi!
I read recently that rhododendrons should be pruned after they flower. I have been nursing my somewhat distressed rhododendrons back to good health so I though maybe this would be a good idea. However, went I went outside with the shears I really had no clue where to start and what to cut? I don't want to cut off something that will prevent it from flowering next season.
Any suggestions??? |
| Posted by: MrSeedy |
| In general rhododendrons don't need pruning after flowering , except to remove the spent flowers. Just below where the flowers were, several new shoots should come out, but if you prune those they won't flower the next year. They can be cut farther back to older wood if you want a more compact plant, but you sacrifice the next years flowers and they most likely wouldn't flower for a couple of years. I just remove the old flowers down to where the most terminal new shoot is coming out. I'm just relying on memory with this answer , so you might double check with a second opinion. |
| Posted by: erdine |
| us too, MrSeedy. we just take off the spent flowers. |
| Posted by: tiffyt |
| When should I remove the spent flowers? Mine bloomed pretty early in the year and they seem to fall off pretty quickly. Should I cut them off before they die off or should I just wait for them to die off and then cut off the little bud thing that it grew out of? Sorry... my terminology is horrible! |
| Posted by: MrSeedy |
| You can remove the spent flowers as soon as they turn brown or fall off, but be careful with the new shoots that may be coming out already, as those will be your flowering branches the next year. I've broken a few off over the years not being careful enough and then the plants don't branch as nicely if you remove some of the new shoots. If the new shoots below the flowers haven't started to come out yet, be sure to remove the flower stem just to the lowest flower on the stem and no lower or you'll lose new shoots that might form. I must say mine isn't the prettiest example of a well grown rhododendron , since it looks a bit lanky and overgrown, so it probably could use a heavier pruning to old wood from time to time, but you do sacrifice flowers that way. |
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