Cutting the top will encourage branching at the top. If you want it to branch low down you need to cut it low down.
Hi Kate, so cutting the top makes the top grow more and cutting bits lower down makes the bottom grow? Is that right? Kenonthegreen seemed to be saying trimming the top of the encourages dense growth at the bottom? could you perhaps clarify . Thanks
They will tend to sprout several new shoots from just below wherever you cut, so to make it bush out at the base, cutting at least some of the stems down quite low would be best, but you'd sacrifice some screening in the short term.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Next door cut old privet right to the ground and I can safely say they will shoot up again with absolutely no attention. Cut one shoot and you'll get two. Cut both of them and it's four and so on hence the label 'thickening up'.
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One day I will research why. (Though I am sure someone on here can tell me?)
Kenonthegreen seemed to be saying trimming the top of the encourages dense growth at the bottom?
could you perhaps clarify . Thanks