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Old 31-03-2003, 08:08 PM
SarahH
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it? I
know that doing it now means I'll lose a lot of flowers, but Im not that
fussed about the flowers anyway.
Thankyou for any advice
Sarah H
--



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Old 31-03-2003, 09:56 PM
Paul Kelly
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)


"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it?


As hard as you like!

You could cut it down to a bare stem a few inches tall and it will come
back - I've done it to move a semi mature specimen!

But, it would be better to be a tad more selective! Don't just give it a
hair cut or you will end up with a bush composed entirely of old tired wood.
Instead, go in and find the oldest, longest main stems and cut those out
completely to promote new growth from the base (ideally look to cut out 1/3
of the bush), then trim back the rest to a more sensible size. Next year
(and this is an ok time to do it) repeat the exercise, and then again a year
later. that way in three years time you have a renewed and reinvigorated
plant of the size you want without ever having had an empty hole!

pk


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Old 31-03-2003, 10:20 PM
bnd777
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Me too !!!!!!!
My choisya sundance is enormous but they are totally forgiving just cut back
about 9 inch sections of each branch and it will soon glow yellow back again
after a dull gold few weeks
you can snip bits whenever you like it wont complain
Its even possible to be very drastic with them but they take longer to get
back in shape that way
"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it? I
know that doing it now means I'll lose a lot of flowers, but Im not that
fussed about the flowers anyway.
Thankyou for any advice
Sarah H
--





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Old 31-03-2003, 10:32 PM
SarahH
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Paul Kelly wrote:

"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it?


As hard as you like!

snip very useful details


Brilliant - Thankyou Paul, thats good news and sounds quite simple!
When I trim the majority back how long will it take to get new leaves? I seem to
have just a layer of leaves about 5" thick and nothing but bare wood below that,
so if I cut it back as far as I like it will be completely bald.

Sarah H


--

"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."
-Martin Luther King


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Old 31-03-2003, 10:32 PM
SarahH
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Brilliant! It sounds like my sort of plant - nice and resiliant. Thats good
news. Thankyou :-)

Sarah

bnd777 wrote:

Me too !!!!!!!
My choisya sundance is enormous but they are totally forgiving just cut back
about 9 inch sections of each branch and it will soon glow yellow back again
after a dull gold few weeks
you can snip bits whenever you like it wont complain
Its even possible to be very drastic with them but they take longer to get
back in shape that way


"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it?




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Old 31-03-2003, 10:32 PM
Paul Kelly
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)


"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Paul Kelly wrote:

"SarahH" wrote in message
...
Hi :-)
Ive got an enormous choisya that seems to be trying to take over my
garden. Its very nice, just too big. How drastically can I prune it?


As hard as you like!

snip very useful details


Brilliant - Thankyou Paul, thats good news and sounds quite simple!
When I trim the majority back how long will it take to get new leaves? I

seem to
have just a layer of leaves about 5" thick and nothing but bare wood below

that,
so if I cut it back as far as I like it will be completely bald.



Wheh I've done it, (to varying degrees of severity!) it comes back withing a
few week at this time of the year and very quickly looks green.

That 5" layer of leaves is just what you get on a plant left unpruned fo a
long time. Choisya, as with many shrubs, positevely benefits from an ongoing
3 year cyvle of pruning. Ideally, you do it after flowering rather than
before but in term of end effect there is no difference.

paul


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Old 01-04-2003, 08:44 AM
Pete The Gardener
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 20:19:53 +0000 (UTC), "Paul Kelly"
wrote:


That 5" layer of leaves is just what you get on a plant left unpruned fo a
long time. Choisya, as with many shrubs, positevely benefits from an ongoing
3 year cyvle of pruning. Ideally, you do it after flowering rather than
before but in term of end effect there is no difference.


You can also clip them with shears like you would a hedge once they're
at about the size you want. It tends to thicken them up and make them
far more dense.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.

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Old 01-04-2003, 03:56 PM
SarahH
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Paul Kelly wrote:

Brilliant - Thankyou Paul, thats good news and sounds quite simple!
When I trim the majority back how long will it take to get new leaves? I

seem to
have just a layer of leaves about 5" thick and nothing but bare wood below

that,


That 5" layer of leaves is just what you get on a plant left unpruned fo a
long time. Choisya, as with many shrubs, positevely benefits from an ongoing
3 year cyvle of pruning. Ideally, you do it after flowering rather than
before but in term of end effect there is no difference.

paul


Thanks Paul, I'll get to it once it stops raining - the sooner its done, the
sooner I'll feel better about it
Sarah


--

"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."
-Martin Luther King


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Old 01-04-2003, 04:08 PM
SarahH
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

Pete The Gardener wrote:

On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 20:19:53 +0000 (UTC), "Paul Kelly"
wrote:

That 5" layer of leaves is just what you get on a plant left unpruned fo a
long time. Choisya, as with many shrubs, positevely benefits from an ongoing
3 year cyvle of pruning. Ideally, you do it after flowering rather than
before but in term of end effect there is no difference.


You can also clip them with shears like you would a hedge once they're
at about the size you want. It tends to thicken them up and make them
far more dense.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.


Thanks Pete - thats what Ive been doing for the past few years (Its a beautiful
shape!) and its sneakily crept up on me!
Sarah


--

"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."
-Martin Luther King


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Old 02-04-2003, 12:20 AM
Pete The Gardener
 
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Default pruning a choisya (sundance)

On Tue, 01 Apr 2003 14:49:31 +0100, SarahH
wrote:

Pete The Gardener wrote:
You can also clip them with shears like you would a hedge once they're
at about the size you want. It tends to thicken them up and make them
far more dense.


Thanks Pete - thats what Ive been doing for the past few years (Its a beautiful
shape!) and its sneakily crept up on me!
Sarah


Ah, yes, they are a bit like that aren't they;-)
--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.

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