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gattina

By Gattina

Bologna, Italy

My Spirea, Wedding bouquet (I think) has just finished flowering and I believe now is the time to prune it. Do I just snip the bits that have flowered, or do I cut the whole thing back? In short, will it flower on old or new growth next spring?




Answers

 

I,ve always called it bridal wreath Gattina and like it very much(I mentioned on karenfrance's blog that its with a pink ribes that flowers at the same time, I just give them a light trim after flowering.
Your plant is a lovely shape and looks really well

7 May, 2012

 

I cut back every branch that has flowered this year. It will flower next year on the new growth it makes this year.
What a beauty that one is. It's a very happy plant!

7 May, 2012

 

What a lovely spray of blossoms.

7 May, 2012

 

It was unfortunate that the year it flowered this well, I didn't think to cut it back until around late summer/early autumn, and the following spring was a bit of a wash-out flower-wise.

7 May, 2012

 

Thats the trouble Gattina, they look so lovely, that you don't want to be too heavy with the pruning, in case you get it wrong.My sister in law had a similar Spirea and I had to chop it back when I first did her garden as it was out of control. It always bloomed well afterwards. As it was my SIL's garden and she just wanted it kept tidy, I didn't worry a lot, but if it was my own, I would be more cautious.

7 May, 2012

 

Certainly they do flower on new wood, better than on old, so a judicious removal of the oldest stems would help the shrub flower in the future.

7 May, 2012

 

Thank you, everyone. Off to find the secateurs......

7 May, 2012

 

You can cut back hard with these at this time of year and still get flowers the following year.

7 May, 2012

 

I use an electric hedge trimmer on some of these in my customers' gardens. So long as it is done imediately after flowering you should get good flowers again next year

7 May, 2012

 

Snap, Anchorman, hedge trimmer for me too, though you always end up having to tidy by hand afterwards I find. It's still quicker though...

7 May, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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