Hard Pruning
Probably too late this year but asap I'd like to re-shape a very old pieris and a 'lolly' shaped Bay about 6/7 years old. The Pieris is 6/7 ft high and about 3" base diameter. The main stem is losing it's bark and looks dead but it throws out quite a bit of growth at the top. Couple of straggly bits of lower growth with one large stem growing up from below ground. Any chance of it surviving if I cut the main stem out completely and just left the 'sport' ?
The bay I trained from a self seeder to about 6ft. tall, stem about 2 1/2 " diameter. The 'ball' has got untidy and I'd like to prune it back quite hard and reduce the size. If I do this it would be almost defoliated. Am I likely to kill it?
(pieris is in the ground, bay in a dustbin sized container) Advice appreciated.Thanks.
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I don't know how hard you can cut back Pieris, though they can certainly take a light trim, but Bay will sprout back from heavy pruning.