Jeff Thies writes:

On 2/13/2014 6:29 AM, wrote:
On Saturday, March 30, 1996 8:00:00 AM UTC, UKSKIER wrote:
I desperately need advice on when to prune rose of sharons. I planted
these twiggy looking babies summer of 94 and 95 and they're just tall and
straggly. I wasn't sure if it's okay to prune them now - since they don't
bloom til July. If so, how should I do it? Can I cut back quite
severely. I really want them to bush up and give me a bit of a privacy
screen.

Thank you - Pat

yeah i agree sharon, you rock!

The only way I know to kill rose of sharon is to dig it up. You may
just want to prune before they set blossoms.

This is not pruning, rather a way to use some of those volunteers:

http://imgur.com/6kSZmJi

Should produce an interesting plant.

Rose of Sharon has showy blooms, multiple colors, and it blooms right in
the middle of the summer. I have one by the pool deck that I've pruned
for many years as a lollipop. Straight single trunk, large ball shaped
blooming mass.

They do create a weeding problem.
Just pull the little ones out or remove all the nuts in the fall.
Our squirrels love the nuts. I usually let them do their thing.

--
Dan Espen