Spirea cut-back

Hi Fran..
another for GoYpedia Pruning :o)

I think I'd give it a balanced feed if you haven't already this year......not after july though as the new growth won't harden up enough for the winter

you've got so much more space there now.....
don't forget bulbs in the autumn, time to decide what you'd like, I need some miniature daffsfor a trough

Let us know how it responds to such hard pruning Fran.

Thanks @TT, I hope it survives my treatment!

Thanks @Pam - i've not fed any plants, other than the potted ones once or twice, when I've remembered. would a general "plant food" be ok, or should I look out for somthingmore specialised?

The Spirea was crowding the Pieris, so that's got some more room now (especially as the gardener took out shrub 6 completely, as that was crowding it from the other side); ther's plenty of bulbs in there - gardener says they're chives, which is ok but do i need that many of them? I've got the narcissi that came with me from the old place; they were a bit crowded in their pot this spring, so they can go there,

I got most of my narcissi at Sainsbury's, bought about forty boxes of bulbs last July-August, so there should be more out on sale soon

I've found loads of other plants by the shed, no idea what htey are, but they're bulbs and still have green leaves, and very crowded, so maybe some of those can go there as well.

thanks @ Stera, I sure will!

I usually feed something like gromore in the spring, its a balanced fertiliser.....thats equal quantitiesof nitrogen for the leaves, potash for the flowers and phosphorus for the roots.
I tend to use the slow release fertiliser in my tubs, little orange balls.....I think they work on temperature, releasing nutrients only when its warm?
wilko sell it , may be a reasonable idea this time of year.....

sounds as if you're really getting organised x

I'm due to prune my Spireas Fran They can be chopped back like you have done. If it is OK it will look just as good this time next year. I havn't dared cut my Spireas as it has been so hot and dry recently, but after this rain they will have a shorter trim than last time.

thanks @Pam. I suspect that the ground will need replenishing all-round - I do'nt imagine that it got much TLC if hte shrubs themselves didn't.

I suppose I really should do all the beds, digging in manure or compost of something - should also get a soil test kit, but i'd need someone to read the results!

I've got some of those slow-release pellets - but when I repotted some plants, the pellets came out hardly touched! so I don't know if the plant didn't need any, or if the circumstances weren't right.

I'll check out Wilkos, there's one in town, near where I'm supposed to be going - lol should have gone yesterday, could have gone today, will "definitely" go tomorrow!

Thanks @Dorjac - if this prune takes, I won't need to cut back so severely again, just thin it out a bit.

Wow, that's some pruning job lol! Seriously though, it should be just fine, in fact it may be even better for it. I agree with the feeding which has already been mentioned. I always use chicken pellets myself.

thanks Waddy. I've heard of chicken pellets, but never needed to check them out before, as I only had a few pots. different now, in more ways than one!

I didn't mean to cut it back that much, it just sort of happened as i tried to even the sides up. I'll learn.

Chicken pellets are great as far as they go but they are low on potash, which is what you want for flowering, so i would use some Growmore too as its more balanced.

thanks Stear, I'll add that to the shopping list.

I did think about getting a soil test kit, but I'd need someone to read the instructions for me - and the results!