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Old 19-03-2018, 05:50 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Pebs Pebs is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2018
Posts: 5
Default How much bush to cut away?

Last year 100s of vine weevils ravaged our thick and healthy Portuguese Laurels, which now look straggly and naked, except for the highest tips.

So I'm thinking of pruning them hard in 2 weeks' time, so that there's only about 9 inches left above the rims of the pots.

Would YOU do this?

Or would you cut them down even lower?

Or not so low?

Here are two photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pfdjiu1j4i...%2001.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dm426x4ps...%2002.JPG?dl=0


I hope that if I cut them right back, they'll bush this spring and summer, and then if I keep gently trimming their tips, they'll eventually become big and healthy again.

There are bound to be vine weevil grubs coming out of hibernation in the coming months, so I'm planning to spray new growth with a strong vine weevil spray from May to October, and then see if these shrubs can be saved.

If not, then they'll all just have to be replaced with shrubs that vine weevils hate. And thankfully I know of three that vine weevils won't touch. But of course I'd rather not have to go to all that bother.

Thanks.

Pebs.