Taming an Overgrown Forsythia

[David Cressey]

Hi all.

I've let a Forsythia in the back yard grow without pruning for some ten
years now.

I'd like to bring it under control.

I think I can figure out how to prune it back, and let it recover next
spring. What I don't know is how to get rid of the secondary roots. It has
arched over and rooted itself in areas that I want to return to lawn. Do I
have to dig up the roots? How deep do I have to dig?

I know almost nothing about gardening.

[Jim Kingdon]

> I think I can figure out how to prune it back, and let it recover next
> spring.

Forsythia is pretty durable. So you can prune it back pretty hard,
and it will recover.

> What I don't know is how to get rid of the secondary roots. It has
> arched over and rooted itself in areas that I want to return to lawn.
> Do I have to dig up the roots? How deep do I have to dig?

Never done this with a forsythia, but you can probably just pull them
up (if they come out), or dig enough to get out the main clump of
roots. If they keep coming back, keep pulling them up. Well, you'll
have to do that anyway, if it is like most forsythias (at least by
reputation, ours is in a shady spot and was pretty overgrown by other
plants including poison ivy, so we haven't yet experienced this
firsthand).

[Frank]

Jim Kingdon wrote:
>> I think I can figure out how to prune it back, and let it recover next
>> spring.
>
> Forsythia is pretty durable. So you can prune it back pretty hard,
> and it will recover.
>
>> What I don't know is how to get rid of the secondary roots. It has
>> arched over and rooted itself in areas that I want to return to lawn.
>> Do I have to dig up the roots? How deep do I have to dig?
>
> Never done this with a forsythia, but you can probably just pull them
> up (if they come out), or dig enough to get out the main clump of
> roots. If they keep coming back, keep pulling them up. Well, you'll
> have to do that anyway, if it is like most forsythias (at least by
> reputation, ours is in a shady spot and was pretty overgrown by other
> plants including poison ivy, so we haven't yet experienced this
> firsthand).

I've had same problem. Just whacked it back cutting off extensions.
Think I did it in the fall but I think any time would work.

Frank

[dr-solo@wi.rr.com]

cut the connection between the plants and you may be able to pull the
rooted ones up (in dry sand or wet clay). cut out the oldest 1/3 and
still get bloom next year. if you continue to mow you can stop this
tipping from happening. Ingrid

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:28:17 GMT, "David Cressey"
> wrote:

>Hi all.
>
>I've let a Forsythia in the back yard grow without pruning for some ten
>years now.
>
>I'd like to bring it under control.
>
>I think I can figure out how to prune it back, and let it recover next
>spring. What I don't know is how to get rid of the secondary roots. It has
>arched over and rooted itself in areas that I want to return to lawn. Do I
>have to dig up the roots? How deep do I have to dig?
>
>I know almost nothing about gardening.
>
>