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Hydrangea petiolaris
Rodgebodge
Posts: 3
Does anyone know how to keep it under control without loosing next seasons flowers? Very vigorous Hydrangea petiolaris.
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It's a problem I'd love to have Rodge. Mine isn't much bigger now than it was 10 years ago
In the sticks near Peterborough
I've always cut ours back a bit to keep it within bounds, it is on the corner of the garage North/East walls, cut more or less all the east wall away, now the growth is just coming,the north wall is covered
You prune them after flowering taking away the old growth back to a new set of leaves. After that it's just like any other hydrangea in some respects, you can take it back further to retain height at a manageable level. You will inevitably lose some flowering potential, but the year after the hard prune, they come back, just don't be shy of it as they seem to love it after a one year sulk.
Thanks folks. My present problem is trying to keep my water-but sweet, Milton tablets but they don't
last long before it gets foul again.
In reply to Rodgebodge, I put pieces of charcoal in my water butt and it seems to work.
I kadge some pieces off my friend after she has had a bonfire, about the size of a small fist then cut some shade netting into squares and put the charcoal in the middle of a piece then tie the end with anything that won't rot,so the charcoal doesn't fall out.
Drop it into your butt, I also sometimes put a small stone in with the charcoal to weight it to the bottom.
This should last about twelve months , I redo mine when I am cleaning the butts out then i know it's not forgotten .
I remember my father using this method many years ago, sometimes the old methods are the best.
Another thought always keep a cover on your water butt
Thanks Chrissy, sounds good I will definitely have a go at this.