In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
"dave @ stejonda" writes:
|
| It's getting a bit late for such drastic treatment, because the
| new wood may not ripen for the winter.
|
| Really? My davidii has only grown to half its usual height so far so
| there'll be a lot of new growth yet and I've never had problems with its
| hardiness over winter. Maybe it depends on where Rebecca is in the UK?

It does. But, except in the mildest areas, late summer growth of
buddleia is very likely to be killed. This is not a big deal,
as it merely delays flowering, but I would be chary of cutting
a buddleia back to 1' now.

Hmm. I'm trying to get my head around that. Buddleia davidii flowers
late (August or so by memory - certainly no signs of flowers yet).
Therefore, rather than the rule of thumb 'prune just after flowering',
it's better to prune in spring. I usually tidy mine up in autumn and
prune right back early in the year. At least I think that's what I do!
So if spring pruning is OK, why would winter 'pruning' by frost damage
flowering at all? Or are you saying that if your flowering period is
earlier, so that you can prune after flowering and still get in some
growth that season, *and* that growth survives over winter, then you
will get flowers even earlier the following year?
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"