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Pyracantha pruning
iLoveExotics
Posts: 10
Hello! I always read this forum but this will be my first post, I’ll try to keep it short!
I recently moved to a new property and have a pyracantha that desperately needs taming! Please see image below.
I love the height of these plants but they are now taking over window space (there’s actually a window in between these two as well) 
. I wanted to avoid turning the pyracantha into a stump but I anticipate it’s too overgrown to be suitably pruned? Also I see different opinions as to when I should be pruning this. I could let it go and have the vine take over that space with new trellises (it clearly would love more room!) but I do enjoy the pyracantha.
. I wanted to avoid turning the pyracantha into a stump but I anticipate it’s too overgrown to be suitably pruned? Also I see different opinions as to when I should be pruning this. I could let it go and have the vine take over that space with new trellises (it clearly would love more room!) but I do enjoy the pyracantha. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! If I’ve left anything out please ask 
Many thanks, T
Many thanks, T
0
Posts
They are tough as old boots, however it's generally advisable to trim shrubs and hedges before any frosts, to allow plants to heal and wounds to be sealed. It's hard to see exactly where the main stem/s are, but I think you can probably cut back about a foot or so of growth from the width of the plant.
If you are worried about cutting too much back, to expose the whole window, then why not do a smaller trim now, and cut back a bit further in early Spring. It should bounce back. As it's up against a house wall, I would also mulch it with compost/rotted manure in the Spring, and give it a thorough watering ever now and again.
Timing is the usual problem with them because if you cut it back now, you lose the berries [which birds also love] but if you wait until after that, you lose the flowers in spring, which bees etc love, and you need those for the berries next autumn
It's up to you when you want to do it - and you can always do a 'half and half' approach, and take some of it back just now, and the rest at a later stage.
The only time to avoid is when you have a lot of frosts coming up, as that can set the new growth back. They do recover quite readily from that anyway though.
You could always try training it under the window a bit more, by tying new growth in underneath onto wires.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cheers!
You'll get new growth from those 'brown' areas next year - it's quite normal for them to have most of the green growth on the outside, and to be quite brown on the inside
It's difficult to tell from your photo, but if there's any longer, whippier growth, you might be able to tie it back in.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree they are very hardy plants and can come back vigorously so I wouldn't be intimidated by chopping it back but it will probably take a few years to get it to the position where you can cut back to the framework and keep the shape.
The birds nest in mine every year so I have taken out the dead wood and made it more open. If you have any obviously dead wood I would remove it but they do sprout new growth from brown stems if they are still alive and open to the sunlight.
I have some semi column shaped ones because my neighbours garden is very formal and they form the boundary (not really my thing I prefer a more natural shape) and these are tied in to form the framework shape I need. Really old wood can be quite brittle but new growth is pretty easy to manipulate so don't be afraid to give it a go.