Pruning new plants help

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dougens

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Pruning new plants help
« on: September 20, 2016, 21:29 »
Hello

I have been growing veg for a few years and this year was the best yet!  I live in South Devon.

This year I planted some non edible plants (I said I never would!) to add some colour and bring some bees to the garden.

I have a small plot of raised beds, south facing, but on a steep hill so the top bed receives limited light, even in summer.  A trip to the garden centre and I left with the following - post advice from them.

hortensia hydrangia - looks bad and all leaves have dried and drooped
crinodendron (lantern tree) - stretched but looks healthy and has some flowers
pyracantha - didn't flower but green and looks healthy, stretched
spiraea (magic carpet) - looks bushy and great still flowering slightly
lavendula hidcote (English) - flowers are dark and dry
Escallonia (Iveyi) - didn't flower but green looks healthy and stretched
lavender munstead (English) - drooping somewhat but flowered all summer
Russian sage - flowered amazingly but very stretched (I supported this with canes)

I planted them in my top bed in amongst my veg in early May.  Some have done well and some not so well.  Please see the images

I watered well as instructed and with food as well. 

My questions are regarding pruning.
 
How should I prune these? 
How far down would you cut them back?
At what time is best?  I read just after the flowers have dropped off?

A lot of the plants look stretched and I would like to shape them and take care of them - also because I don't want any overgrown plants taking over my veg bed.  I'dd like short bushy plants and hoping I can shape these to add colour to my plot.

Many thanks for all your help and advice if you reply!

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dougens

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2016, 21:30 »
And last pics, thanks for help
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IMG_1701.JPG

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Yorkie

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2016, 20:53 »
I'm not familiar with most of those plants but lavender needs to be cut back after flowering, as far as you can whilst not cutting into old wood.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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snowdrops

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2016, 21:24 »
The crinodendrum is slow growing & doesn't need any pruning I've found. Hydrangea, I just leave intact til Spring to give it frost protection & then prune in early spring. Pyracantha, needs to be kept under control or it will attack you quite viciously with those long spikes, I'd prune early spring so you get to enjoy the flowers & berries. Spirea, just needs a tidy after flowering until it gets too big for the allotted space. Trim the escallonia to remove stretching & keep bushy.
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dougens

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2016, 10:43 »
Thanks Yorkie

When you say cut back after flowering would you say when the flowers dry out or fall off? 
Best at the end of the summer or in early spring? 
Sorry if basic questions......!

Thanks for your reply Snowdrops
So leave the hydrangea , pyracantha, & escalonnia until early spring and trim the spirea when the flowers have fallen off?
How far back do you prune to? 
Is there any particular method or just trial and error!?

Many thanks for all your help

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Yorkie

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2016, 19:24 »
I've just done my lavender.

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dougens

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2016, 20:11 »
Thanks Yorkie I'll do mine this weekend

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Gardener and Rabbit

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Re: Pruning new plants help
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2016, 22:57 »
A rule of thumb that I picked up from my Grandad, who was a professional gardener, is that you can prune any plants with spines as hard as you like, and they'll break into new growth again and often be better for it. So pyracantha, holly, roses etc. I guess it works because they developed the spines to try and stop animals grazing them, but if they did get eaten then they need to be able to re-grow.



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