spirea pruning instructions

You should actually prune your spirea more than once a year, at least twice. Give it a good trim after it flowers in the spring by cutting back the tips of the stems to the top leaf bud. This removes the dead blossoms and also may trigger a second blooming and new leaf growth. You can also shape the shrub at this time.

Can I cut my spirea to the ground?

The spirea species (Spiraea spp.) ... To control the spirea's size and keep it blooming year after year, you should prune it back after blooming or when it's dormant in winter. If it's severely overgrown, cut it to the ground to rejuvenate the shrub.

How do you prune an overgrown bridal wreath spirea?

Using bypass loppers or a small pruning saw, cut each branch as close to the ground or base of the plant as possible. As you remove each branch, step back and look at the shrub. Then remove the next branch. Repeat until you've cut out 1/3 of the oldest growth.

Will spirea rebloom if deadheaded?

Cutting three to six inches off the stems of pink-flowering spireas will improve the appearance of the shrubs and promote new growth. If your spireas didn't get cut back in the spring you can take as much as six to eight inches off now. When deadheaded in early July the plants will flower again.

How do you prune spring spirea flowers?

Spiraea 'Arguta'

After it has flowered, take the chance to prune it and encourage bushy growth. Cut the flowered stems back to a sideshoot. Mature plants with congested branches can be thinned by removing one third of the oldest stems.

Do you cut back spirea in the fall?

More drastically cutting back spirea should occur in the fall or in late winter to early spring. Remove any dead branches and use this trimming to shape the shrub. Cutting it way back will stimulate new growth in tighter clusters so that you can get a more rounded, compact shrub shape.

How far can you cut back spirea?

Trim back overgrown spireas or those that produced sparse foliage on the lower stems severely in fall after the foliage begins to fall off, to keep the shrubs shaped and compact. Cut back each stem to within 8 to 12 inches of the ground.

Do you cut back weigela in the fall?

Although summer pruning is best for weigelas because of their standard bloom time, fall pruning in November isn't going to kill your weigela, especially if you live in a mild climate. You won't get a flush of new blooms in spring and summer because a fall pruning will remove all buds.

Does spirea bloom on old wood?

If your spirea bloom in the spring, They are likely Spiraea prunifolia or Spiraea x vanhouttei and they bloom on "old wood" or the previous year's growth. These should be cut back after blooming in 2016.

When should hydrangeas be cut back?

When to prune hydrangeas. Most pruning is carried out in late winter or early spring. However, the climbing hydrangea is pruned after flowering in summer.

How do you stop spirea from spreading?

Spirea will self seed and spread by rooting along the plant. Spirea japonicas are listed as a significant threat to natural areas. You can stop self seeding by deadheading the spent flowers before they set seed.

Does spirea bloom all summer?

Many are low, wide shrubs growing to 3 to 4 feet in height with graceful branchings. They bloom throughout the summer from June into August. Some varieties to look for include the Japanese spirea bumalda cultivars.

How do you take care of a spirea bush?

How to Care for Spirea Bushes. Once planted, the care of spirea requires a minimal time investment. Adding mulch around the plant will help retain moisture and regular summer watering will promote healthy blooms and growth. Prune summer-blooming spirea bushes during the winter or in the spring.

Can you cut weigela to the ground?

You may need to take drastic measures to bring the plant back. In this case, you can try trimming the weigela back to the ground. Remove all branches to about 4 inches (10 cm.) ... If you do this kind of drastic pruning, it may take the weigela a year before it starts to bloom again.

Can I cut my forsythia to the ground?

Cutting back a forsythia back to the ground is a good way to encourage new growth, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension. It's best to do this right after the blooms have faded on the bush, but if your shrub didn't bloom, just do it in late spring.

How do you prune a hydrangea bush?

To get bigger flowers, cut them all the way back

In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.

How do you trim spirea in the fall?

Fall is the time for the most severe pruning of spirea. With sharp shears, cut each stem back to about 8 inches (20 cm.) from the ground. Don't worry that the plant won't bounce back.

Is spirea annual or perennial?

Spireas are small to medium sized deciduous shrubs that produce cascades of flowers in spring and summer. Among the easiest flowering shrubs to grow, spireas are often used in foundation plantings, as hedges, and in perennial gardens. Most spireas bloom in late spring to midsummer.

Do spirea have deep roots?

Spirea has a healthy and reasonably deep root system, so leave about two feet of the strongest stems above ground. Dig around to find the roots and cut them back.

How do you divide spirea?

Divide spirea

An old clump with a dead or dying center and lots of healthy growth around the edges can be lifted and split with a saw or sharp pruning shears, just like a perennial.

How do you prepare weigela for winter?

Mulch around the base of your weigela with an organic material laid down in at least a 3-inch-thick blanket. Use pine straw, leaf mold or shredded bark to insulate the roots from cold and drought. Reapply a fresh layer each year in the fall as winter approaches.

Can a severe pruning kill a weigela shrub?

Over-pruning a weigela plant can weaken or even kill it. Never prune more than 1/3rd of the entire plant in a single season. If you need to remove a lot of growth, do it gradually over the course of several seasons.

Can I trim my bushes in the fall?

Light shaping in fall for shrubs that have uneven growth is okay. Remove stems growing out of the shrub by cutting close to the parent branch, not by shearing. Shearing promotes new growth which is unwanted this late in the season, since it can cause winter damage.