Mature but droopy rhododendrons

9 years ago

We moved into this house 1.5 years ago, and had a drought last summer (no watering allowed). This year, the rhododendrons don't look too good and my husband is talking about ripping them out.

Would pruning save them? I read online and watched videos that talked about trimming down to 6", or removing 1/3 of the growth. I don't know where the "stem" even is -- they've drooped so much that all the stems are partially buried and it looks more like an ivy to me now.

Walking around the neighborhood today, it seems like everyone else's rhododendrons stand straight up and are much taller than mine.

I'm not a gardener and don't have the first idea what to do. Though I was told at the garden center to put Holly-Tone and compost on it, so I plan to do that this week.

I'm outside Boston, and we get full to partial sun. We just took down some trees, which leaves the blooming rhododendron (last pic) in full sun.

Featured Answer

akamainegrower

9 years ago

The stems don't seem to be drooping so much as they are reaching for more light. Planted under large mature trees, rhododendrons will suffer from competition for water and nutrients, but will also grow toward the direction of strongest light. This often results in bare stems growing horizontally with green growth only at the ends where there is more sun.

There would be little point in pruning the rhododendrons except for removing obviously dead branches unless more trees were removed or their canopies were raised and/or thinned. If you prune without reducing the amount of shade, the rhododendrons might or might not grow back but would pretty quickly resume the growth pattern you have now with any new growth.

Depending on what variety it is, the rhododendron in full sun will probably look odd this year. Leaves will bleach out in the new, brighter environment. It will also very likely set many more flower buds for next year than has been the rule when it was in shade. If you wish tighter, less straggly growth, this is the one to prune using the one-third at a time method.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

pippiep
Original Author
9 years ago
I started pruning that full sun batch today. Does the one-third method refer to healthy growth only, or dead stuff, too? I removed ALL the dead branches, and uprooted a few that had no life on any branch.
Related Professionals
Hannibal Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · St. Louis Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Vineland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Williamsburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Akron Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Santa Fe Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Daytona Beach Landscape Contractors · Norfolk Landscape Contractors · Auburn Landscape Contractors · Lewiston Landscape Contractors · Magnolia Home Additions · Johnson City Home Additions · Portsmouth Home Additions · Guymon Home Additions · Riverton Home Additions
akamainegrower
9 years ago
Any growth that is really and truly dead should be removed. Bare stems still showing green cambium can be sharply cut back, but may sprout from latent buds, so it's at least worth a try to leave a few shortened to a few inches above the ground. Impossible to tell for sure from the photo, but the one at the bottom looks like the species r. catawbiense. These do well with lots of direct sun and usually resprout easily.
pippiep thanked akamainegrower
pippiep
Original Author
9 years ago
Here's one of the blooms from that one. So pretty!
pippiep
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
How/where do I prune when it looks like this, if I'm hoping to get the trunks to be vertical over the next few years? Most of what has grown and flowered looks like the trunk that re-rooted.

Also, one entire rhododendron has tons of flower buds, but none of them opened. Should I deadhead them now? Any ideas as to why they didn't open?
akamainegrower
9 years ago
No matter how or at what point on a stem you prune, growth will head toward the strongest light. Long mostly horzontal stems should be cut back close to the ground. Same with longer more vertical shoots. (I assume you're asking about the rhododendron now in full sun).

why do you think the buds in the last photo won't bloom? They seem to be opening naturally, showing color, etc. In much of New England this has been a late spring with lots of cool, rainy weather. Many varieties of rhododendron - including r. catawbiense- are late bloomers by nature and are even more delayed by this year's weather.
pippiep thanked akamainegrower
pippiep
Original Author
9 years ago
I thought they wouldn't bloom because they look all dry and shriveled up, and the rest of the ones in that same full-sun patch already bloomed. I think there are 4 or 5 rhododendrons there, and it's just that one that has the unbloomed buds.