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Pruning Lonicera/ Berberis
Damon
Posts: 12
Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my very first post.
I want to know how to make my Berberis Darwinii and Lonicera Nitidia more bushy? I bought the shrubs about three/ four years ago and have just left them to grow thinking they would make a good hedge. The labels said not to prune which I think is a bit odd. I have looked in a few books and I've only clipped the Berberis after it's flowered however this has only been on the strangley bits. Do I need to start again? I have posted photos for the evidence. Please can someone help! Thanks.
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Posts
Most shrubs will, unless they are ground cover, attempt to row up rather than out. If you snip back the tallest shoots by two or so leaf buds and leave the side shoots alone it should bush up a bit.
Jimmy, thanks for the reply. With the Berberis it's roughly at the right height as I only wanted it to grow up to the window sill as in the picture. Every so often there are fast growing shoots that spurt upwards at the top of the plant only. I usually cut these however it's the rest of the plant that does nothing. Should I start cutting the ends off the rest of the branches on the sides of the plants? There is about four plants I've grouped together to form a low hedge.
Basically, keep it trimmed in the directions you don't want it to grow and let it roam in the directions you do. If it's not spreading, it ay be growing up to the light. Is it particularly shaded or in a location where it only really gets full light at noon?
Verdun, thanks for your comments.
So with the Berberis, as it's now the right size (height &width), is it now a question of waiting for it to bush out providing I maintain it's current dimensions with a trimmer? It just seems very sparse as in the pictures.
With the Lonicera I wanted it to grow higher so haven't been shaping it much as there is not much I can do with it as per the photo. All I have done is cut the sides slightly.
Do these plants take many years to bush out?
Jimmy, both plants are situated in my front driveway.
The Berberis is on a north facing wall however it does have some sun in the mornings.
The Lonicera is against a west facing fence.
Ok, might try and do this tomorrow. So I'll cut the Berberis down by half in height and I won't touch anything else on the plants, same with the Lonicera.
Seems a shame as I've waited this long for the plants to grow this tall.
Many thanks!!!