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Advice on pruning Viburnum

Novice23Novice23 Posts: 200
in Problem solving
I have two viburnum shrubs which are now very tall, probably about 8ft.  I want to trim them down to fence height (which is 6ft) or slightly less.  Could I do that now, and would it affect their flowering next year?  Any advice really REALLY welcome.

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Which Viburnum? cutting the ends off branches to shorten it rarely looks good. Have you got a photo


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    It's usually best to prune after flowering. Viburnum are usually good growers and I am not at all sure how well they would look treated like a hedge.
  • Novice23Novice23 Posts: 200
    OK will try to post photos but they are at the back of the bed, and shadowed by other stuff, so may not be the best view.  It is a Bodnantense, Dawn I think.   Flowers in the winter, so I am not sure about pruning after flowering.

    Posy, I don't really want to create a hedge, just to lower the height of the Viburnum as it is way above the fence and catches the wind, so am concerned that it will ultimately bring the fence down.  I don't want to change the shape, so is there another technique I could use?  
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    edited August 2018
    One thing you could try is to remove, at the base, one stem out of every five, or even three, if it is very large, generally the oldest ones, which are likely to be the tallest too.
    If you choose carefully, you can keep a good shape, while reducing the height and wind resistance. It also encourages new growth from the base and if carried out regularly (every year or two) stops it getting old and untidy looking.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I agree with buttercup re the pruning technique, 


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Novice23Novice23 Posts: 200
    Thank you all for your advice.  I will try taking out some of the stems, it has not had any 'work' done on it since planting, only feeding each spring so would probably benefit from thinning out.  Great to have good advice from you all. 


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