Rhododendron Pruning???

6 years ago

I have a large rhododendron that is lush on one side because I have to randomly keep pruning back branches from blocking my living room window and spare on the other side because I haven't done much all over pruning at all. Today's rain has just about finished off the blooms, so I think now is the time to prune? Any tips on how to prune it both for size and bloom maintenance and to encourage the other side to fill back in???

Featured Answer

diggerdee zone 6 CT

6 years ago

My neighbor has a row of rhodies along his driveway that are at least 15 feet high, if not taller. One day I came outside and was shocked to see that he had cut them back heavily, to about 3 feet. Just cut them down, and not very carefully. That was a few years ago and I'm looking out the window at them at this very moment and they are at least 15 feet high, if not taller...

Your post brought up a fond memory. There was a poster here years ago, EGO45, who had a gorgeous garden and was a wonderful person and knowledgeable gardener (wish he were still posting!). Anyway, one day a group of us was at his garden and as we walked through we had stopped to look at his rhodies. One of us asked a question and he answered, "Just whack it back! 6 inches! Wham!"

Haha, I have to say I've never had the nerve to do quite that, and certainly wouldn't recommend it if you are pruning for shape, but always think of that to reassure myself that the rhodie will be okay. My neighbor's were, and actually, I had one in the same situation as you, in front of a window. I chopped it back to about a foot and a half, (couldn't go to 6 inches, even with "Just whack it back!" in my mind the whole time!) hoping to move it in the future, and it is growing nicely. I have to attempt to move it before it gets bigger!

:)
Dee

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
it would be best to start with some pix ...

i suspect the unpruned side is sparse .. because it is in deeper shade.. if that is the case.. no amount of pruning is going to help.. if the shade is caused by other plants ...

but that is suspicion .. until we see whats going on ...

ken
Erica B.
Original Author
6 years ago
Its pouring right now so I can't hop out to take a pic. The sparse side is maybe in a bit more shade but not much. I'd guess it's about 8' tall, so its shading out other plants, not the other way around. When we moved in 9 years ago the whole bush was lush (it was mature then too)...I've completely ignored it until the last 5 years or so when the branches were blocking too much of the living room window and then I only trimmed back what was in the way. Since then, the right side has become lush and the left side has become increasingly "leggy"....Hope this helps??
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Pruning now is great. Right after the bloom period is when I prune mine as well. Cut back any leggy portions to a branch node (where another branch or stem emerges). This will avoid any stubs and encourage latent buds along the remaining portion to develop. You can take it back as lightly or as hard as you need.

Other than that, you don't need to do anything more than keep the plant properly watered. Next season's flower buds are formed in late summer and dry soils or drought will impede their development, so pay close attention to watering August through September.
Erica B. thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Erica B.
Original Author
6 years ago
Do you trim off spent flower heads too? I read something about that today but haven't heard that before.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 years ago
If it’s small enough you could dead head it but as they get bigger the time taken for the job would be prohibitive. If you do deadhead be careful to snap or snip above the pair of buds under the flower or you’ll lose the next flowers.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Only if it is in a very visible location....like right outside my door :-) And that is for aesthetic reasons only. I think they look messy. It doesn't affect the plant one way or the other. There are many old, established rhodies on my property that I never bother with as they are much too large. By the end of the season, the old flowerheads have pretty much vanished and the shrubs bloom unimpeded the next spring.