This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Buddleia help
Jason Sparkes
Posts: 68
Excuse what may be a stupid question, but I have a large Buddleia on my boundary fence, which I want to keep but blocks my neighbours light, I cut the main stem down to 2ft over winter, if I pinch out the growing tips will this keep it smaller and bushier rather than so large?? Any advice gratefully received.
Last edited: 15 May 2016 11:52:37
0
Posts
If you cut it all down to 2ft then id leave it alone now, it will grow this summer and you can do the same again in Autumn. They are tough plants though, and if you do cut it back further it won't harm it, but you could loose this years flowers.
i'm no expert but just been out to look at one that flowered last month and all the flowers are on the ends of the branches so you may lose all the flowers if you pinch them out, i'm sure someone that knows for sure will be along soon to give you a more experienced answer.
If you pinch out the tips now you won't get many flowers. You can however prune hard or very hard in winter. This should help to keep it smaller.
Thank you all very much, and thank you Verdun, will leave well alone til next year, has loads of new growth all over it, i'm amazed how resilient they are
I cut my two 10 year old Buddleias down to stumps last autumn with the intention of removing them as they were too big and woody. They just regrew...
but they're now behaving themselves and staying small. 
I think I've managed to kill one.
Bearing in mind that they set seed and grow in cracks in concrete I thought they were virtually indestructble. Seems not. What was an open sunny spot when I planted is now quite shady (new fence & other planting) and the soil is heavy clay - I think it might have drowned
The other 3 are in fine fettle