Weigela Middendorffiana

februarysgirl · May 2022

I planted Weigela Middendorffiana in March and although in full leaf, there has been no other new growth at all. I planted Buddleia Buzz Ivory nearby at the same time and that's going great. It's in a west facing raised bed filled with Wickes Multipurpose topsoil (sterilised, lime and chalk free) which everything I've ever planted in it, has loved. Would it be worth pruning now to stimulate some new growth or would it be better to leave it until next year?

punkdoc · May 2022

It should be flowering about now, so pruning would normally be done after that.

JennyJ · May 2022

How big is it? If it's only small, like the ones typically available from garden centres, I think it would be best not pruned this year.

Buddleias are generally very fast-growing (although I'm not familiar with Buzz) so you can't really compare them.

Fairygirl · May 2022

If it was only planted in March, it's still trying to establish.

They aren't like Buddleias, they take a while to establish and grow.

Palustris · May 2022

Weigela midetc. is fairly slow growing in any case. Wait until it has got going before doing any pruning. Ours has been in here since we moved, about 3 years and is still only about 1 metre by 1 metre, so not being touched again this year. It makes little difference to it flowering by the way.

Silver surfer · May 2022

Agree with others.
It is still a baby...do not prune this year.
Slower than some Weigela.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/47/uq6v3gwkrtz6.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/vw/osb9hk4vno3d.jpg

februarysgirl · June 2022

@punkdoc That's why I was thinking along the lines of pruning it now. I had to late prune a couple of stems on my Philadelphus because they were devoid of leaves up to the top and it looked really out of place as they were at the front. It worked so I was considering giving the Weigela the same treatment.

@JennyJ I bought it as a 3l pot. It wasn't so much a comparison, I always knew the Buddleia was going to grow faster. That being said, that didn't have any new growth on it until about 6 weeks ago. Two newly planted shrubs with nothing beyond new leaves was really freaking me out!

@Fairygirl Definitely not expecting Buddleia rate of growth, it's the none at all that's been bothering me in case I've done something wrong that's been holding it back. The Buddleia didn't start putting on new growth until fairly recently and I was beginning to think I'd really messed up this year. The real fast grower in the shrub department has been Sorbaria Sem. I only planted it March last year and it's bonkers!

@Palustris I had it down as an average rate of growth. Not that matters all that much, I can fill the gaps with tall annuals in the interim. The only pruning I was considering was down to the previous leaf node just to stimulate it.

@Silver surfer Those are lovely flowers. I haven't been expecting any this year as it hasn't been in the ground long and they are relatively early flowerers. As long as I get a little new growth this year I'll be happy.

Thanks all 🙂

punkdoc · June 2022

If you prune it now, you will lose the flowers.

februarysgirl · June 2022

@punkdoc There aren't currently any flowers and I haven't been expecting any due to the lack of growth and it being relatively early flowerer.

punkdoc · June 2022

I would still leave it this year.

Fairygirl · June 2022

It won't be established for ages yet. If you only planted it in March, it's only just starting to settle now. You're expecting far too much. Give it a chance to establish and grow.

Weigela Middendorffiana

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