About pruning post budding...

13 years ago

I would appreciate some opinions on my pruning (maybe extensively) a
Large patch of the old fashioned blue Butterfly bushes.I have had this
Patch for maybe 10 years and it has been allowed to expand because
There is room for expansion and the patch is maybe abt 10 x 10 sq feet
With a tall growing patch of the Lantana(multicolor)extending this "hill
Garden"abt 5 feet on one side.It has always been popular with the
Butterflies to include Tiger swallowtails,Spicebush Swallowtails,Palamedes,
Pipevine Swallowtails,Black Swallowtails,Skippers,Sulphurs,Zebra
swallowtails,and others I might have overlooked.The problem is that this
Garden has become very tall,congested and woody due to neglect.There
Are new bushes that have sprouted outside the central patch,they are scattered and no problem.I have a water faucet for hose there.
I just need to groom this mess by Spring because I need to get in there
And get fertilizer to the roots plus remove a lot of litter.Which forum on
Garden Web gives best instruction for pruning flowering bushes and
Woody flowering bushes?I never pruned before!!!
Any suggestions are appreciated!!!
DD

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Comments (3)

Mary Leek
13 years ago
DD,

If it were me, I'd take those Butterfly bushes down to about 18 inches. This would leave enough wood to sprout fresh new growth and create nice sized bushes this year. This will also give you a chance to get in around each plant to tend to their root area.

Because of family illness, I didn't take the time to prune my butterfly bushes last season and the White Profusion is about seven feet now. They will all get pruned this month, compost spread plus fertilizer and mulch for this growing season. I have the White Profusion (tall) and Nanho Purple (medium height).

I'd expect your Lantana would benefit from a good pruning, too, but will let others suggest if and how best to do it. My Lantana freezes out here, so haven't yet had to deal with pruning Lantana.

Mary
dragonflydee
Original Author
13 years ago
Give me a good push toward spring!We warm up so quick down here in
South Alabama I sometimes feel I need to get started in February!
DD
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juanital
13 years ago
I was just wondering this about my 2nd-3rd year butterfly bush.

Thank you much!