To prune, cut off completely ,or replace these?

9 years ago

Hello,

I have these on corners of the place we bought several months ago. It doesn't look like they've been taken care of for a while. I really like the height and placement because they cover a water meter, garbage cans, etc...but that's about all I like about them. What would I be better off doing? Trying prune that mess, cutting them about 6-8 inches from the ground, or replacing them? My concern about just cutting them off is that it will take a long time to get that height back. In that case, I would probably want to replace.

Thanks!

Gary

Featured Answer

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

9 years ago

If you take some closer photos so we can see details of leaves and branching, you might likely get an ID which will give you some more info. Knowing where you are would help us.

IME regrowth of large shrubs with a developed root system will regrow much faster than most new shrubs simply because they have the ability to gather nutrients and water and don't have to grow all those roots. That doesn't mean I am suggesting you should keep them, but you will have bigger coverage sooner with the ones you have.

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Comments (7)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
What kind of plants are they and where are you located?
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well there are more attractive alternatives, sure.

Or you could bone up on proper pruning techniques (as opposed to shearing as they look to have had done in the past) and get those back into a better looking shape in a couple of seasons.

How patient are you?
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
if you have the will and budget.. replace ...

otherwise.. get full ID ... then google REJUVENATION PRUNING OF SHRUBS.... and go at them ...

the first is incredibly to tall for the location on the corner of the hous.e. i dont know why you want to regain that height ...

make sure the second is actually on your property ... i dont know why i assum that is the neighbors driveway ...

if you remove... fall planting is probably better than the heat of summer ... so you have time to decide ...

an actual city name might help ...

on review.. get rid of the first.. its planted to close to the house.. for the obvious potential it has ... cutting it back.. with no insult to the mature root mass.. means its going to be that big again in a few years.. or you are going to be whacking on it annually ....

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
how about you go stand in the street.. and give us a pic or 3.. of the whole front landscape .... and let us opine on the whole project???

the point of a proper planting time.. is that you have a couple months to plan.. and remove that which you want gone ... also .. depending on location ... winter or spring is the other best times ....

for most of us... the heat of summer.. is not a great planting time.. because there is no cool night time recovery period after the heat of the day ... so we look for a season that has such ....

below is a planting guide.. which addresses proper planting time .. among other things..

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

btw.. that plant on the driveway.. is what dad would have planted.. to keep the basketball from the neighbors property.. back in the day ... but he was a sadist.. he planted barberry... lol ...
grisler
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. Here are some more photos.

The tall one-

The other by the garage/driveway.

I live in a western suburb of Chicago.

I like the height because it hides the shed and my garbage
cans on the side of the house.

This last picture is the one the Ken thought might not be on my
property. This is on right side of the house, and the really tall one is on the
left if you’re looking from the street.

Thanks!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
all your shrubs look like they were planted when the house was built.. or at least all planted at the same time a decade or two back ...

were improperly sited .. planted with no concept of their potential size [planted too close to the house] ... and not properly maintained thru proper pruning ...

since your are new buyers.. its nice to not have to dance around you being at fault.. lol ..

your first decision is whether replacement is an option ... maybe even on a 5 year plan ... really.. whats the hurry ... certain ones do serve a purpose ....

then buy a good pruning saw ... and study up on rejuvenation pruning .. and go at them ... if you totally hack them up.. and hate the result ..... you are well on your way to removal ... lol ...

it looks like your tree is a crabapple that is suckering... if fully IDd.. you can buy a spray for that ...

one thing for sure... with pruning.. there is always next year ...

define your goals.. and then act accordingly ...

ken

a saw in this price area

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-7-Folding-Saw/16930221

process

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=rejuvenation+pruning&t=ffcm&iax=1&ia=videos