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Pitosporum Tenufolium ‘Irene Paterson’ progress for Izzy,

drc726

By drc726

27 comments


Back in May I was upset about my 10 year old Pitosporum Tenufolium ‘Irene Paterson’ It has tiny black flowers and is a delight as well as a good screen as it reaches over 10ft and over the years I have only needed to prune lightly around the base to keep it tidy.
This Spring after an early Winter and a long drought/hot period it had shed a high percentage of leaves and for the first time ever I could see through it and in May in spite of a lot of water it showed no sign of the leaf drop stopping.
So I decide to take the advice from GOY members and bit the bullet, on the 18th May I cut everything off and just left the thick branches very bare except the very top which had so many leaves that I left that alone. I Gave it a big feed of Vitax Q4 and watered it well. I then watered it twice weekly until we got rain. After just one month its recovering very well even though its turned very cold, as the photos show.

Summer 2010.

18th May 2011

3rd June 2011

6th June 2011

Next 4 are taken today

21/05/2012

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Comments

 

Gosh...that is amazing! Well done, DRC 726!

It all looks very healthy! I think I shall cut back all the dead branches and give it a whirl! Looking at your photos, you've cut back to main central branches and removed everything else so that's my next job!

Thank you for that help. I just hope I will be as fortunate as you!

19 Jun, 2011

 

Good luck Izzy dont forget the Vitax Q4, Denise.

19 Jun, 2011

 

That's very good news Drc, you must be mightily relieved and pleased.

19 Jun, 2011

 

I think i'd cut it back even harder so that its energy only concentrates on the new growth, it clearly has life in it and tough love could make all the difference.

19 Jun, 2011

 

Now all that new growth is appearing I think I would also lop the top but obviously the decision is yours. I `m really pleased its recovering for you, we are softies all of us and get very upset if or when we lose an old friend in our gardens....

19 Jun, 2011

 

Too true, i hate losing plants :-(
It's sometimes painful for us to take a plant back to a few inches but they often reward us by sending up growth left right and centre :-)))

19 Jun, 2011

 

Thats fantastic, it just goes to show being patient pays off, thanks for shareing, this has worked well with some of the ceanothus i have pruned, however, most of the pittosporums i have treated in the same way have completely been killed off, two out of a total of thirty have shown signs of any re growth, and none from the top growth, but from the base new shoots have emerged on two of them, all have been given bark scrapes to identify any healthy wood, but nothing, could this be down to what part of the country we live in? here in the east mids it was very harsh, i would say that on all the ceanothus, bay, even the Eucalyptus, its been a disaster down here with only a very few surviveing, hypericum hidcotts all top growth dead but all have good strong new shoots from the base, the same applys to the fushias, Arbutus, i would say most have done well but some good large specimens have sucummed, all griselinia have suffered terribly too, along with most of the Hebes family.

19 Jun, 2011

 

Yes I an very pleased MW.
Thats tough enough for me Louise.
I do intend to take the top off next month Lincslass but I think it needs to make a bit more leaf elsewhere first.
I lost 2 other Pitosporum last winter as their roots suffer if it gets too cold Julien, you lost so many poor you. I think the very early winter took its toll.

19 Jun, 2011

 

Well, I've cut it back very much like yours, Drc726. Reading the comments about removing more....I'm dithering again! Should I remove all the front growth too? WHAT a dilemma! LOL. My husband...who is NOT a gardener, I hasten to add...wants to cut it all down to a foot or so from the ground! Eeeeegh! I think I'd better hide the tools!

19 Jun, 2011

 

I didnt cut it down because I wanted to preserve the height Izzy and so far its working.

19 Jun, 2011

 

My thoughts exactly, Denise...so, on refelection, I'm going to leave it and see what happens. I have fed and watered it well...so fingers crossed!

Thanks again!

19 Jun, 2011

 

My pleasure I hope it works for us both.

19 Jun, 2011

 

I love a happy ending,Denise..:o)..I am very pleased ...

19 Jun, 2011

 

Thanks Bloomer

19 Jun, 2011

 

Good to see it recovering. So many things were lost last winter. I hope it will return to it's glory :o)

20 Jun, 2011

 

My fingers are crossed Hywel.

20 Jun, 2011

 

I had a similar one. it died

20 Jun, 2011

 

Thats a shame.

20 Jun, 2011

 

I have only recently bought this, so I would be very upset to lose it, good good luck and keep us posted......

3 Jul, 2011

 

I will post an up date in a couple of weeks, it is doing very well DD

3 Jul, 2011

 

I am pleased for you Drc.....

6 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks Dd

6 Jul, 2011

 

Nearly a year later and am pleased to show you the latest photo which shows how much growth it has made.

21 May, 2012

 

How lovely, Denise! Success! You must be very pleased!I'll take a photo of mine when I get a chance...it's doing well.

I posted a blog recently of my new grandson! I've been away a lot. We have a lot of family illness as well. The garden has been neglected as a result but I will post soon!

26 May, 2012

 

I saw the photo of your lovely grandson Izzy. Sorry to hear of your family illness hope its resolving.

27 May, 2012

 

So nice to see your measures have proven successful Drc :)

27 May, 2012

 

Thanks LC

27 May, 2012

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