I decided that once it had finished flowering (Yes, amazingly, it did produce some flowers) I would prune it very hard and try to re-invogorate it. Well, that time has now come.
Armed with a long-handled loppers, pruning-saw and secateurs, I took the tree right down to about four feet tall. I removed all the straggly branches and even some of the main stems / trunks, which were very cramped and rubbing together. So now I am left with this:
There are now four main stems / trunks, and I hope that each of these will produce a mass of new shoots at its top. If this happens I should end up with a "lollipop-shape" bush, which will have a much better ratio of flowers and leaves to wood. There are also a few thin stems growing from the base of the plant (you can see them at the right in my photos). Since these look pretty healthy I'm leaving them in place.
I just want to put in a word here about tools. Having the right tool for the job makes a big difference, and I would have had a much more difficult time if I had not had this amazing pruning-saw made by Bahco. It is very light but incredibly sharp. It went through the Philadelphus wood like the traditional hot knife through butter! I would say that a saw like this is an essential tool for any gardener who grows anything bigger than a shrub.
The amount of wood and twigs that came off that one tree was prodigious! Pruning the tree was actually a fairly brief task, but dealing with the trimmings took much longer. I kept several long straight branches, which will be used as plant-support stakes. I sawed up the bigger branches and added them to my log-pile (aka insect hotel). And finally I cut the remainder into manageable lengths so that I could stuff them into old compost bags for eventual disposal at the municipal tip. Job done!
Must remember to prune ours this is a good reminder. You weren't tempted to just leave the young shoots then?
ReplyDeleteIt was looking rather straggly. I hope it recovers well after that hard prune.I just love the fragrance. I must admit that this is one plant that might tempt me off my indigenous only path.
ReplyDeletenice for the wildlife to have a new log-pile to move into
ReplyDeleteI noticed today the my pomegranate has lost all of its leaves except the ones on top. I am not sure why. I thought it was dead at first and it had been doing good all spring. Maybe it is up for a pruning as well. I haven't pruned it before as it is kind of a spindly tree.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with Sue I would have been tempted to cut it right down to the ground - but if you want a lollipop then you've done it well to get the right shape.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip about the saw. My fruit trees etc will be of the size next year when loppers/secateurs will not do. I would so love a Philadelphus. I may bite the bullet & buy a full size one but really I should be looking at the dwarf ones.
ReplyDeleteWell done, sometimes it's difficult to have an eye for the future when all you have left is some bare trunks. I look forward to seeing it next year!
ReplyDelete