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Pittosporum chop?
Stephen Cornish
Posts: 72
in Plants
Got massive pittosporum bush/tree that's as high as our house. Last winter I finally got go ahead from other family members to seriously trim it. I was all ready to chop a third off it this spring when we noticed some collar doves nesting in it, so stopped. Trouble is, they got jiggy with it for many months and have only just finished their business. Is it still ok to chop a third off the bush now or do I have to wait until next spring?
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Stephen
I'd say it would be ok. They're not reliably hardy up here so I've never grown them, although I'm very tempted. If yours is so happy, I'd reckon it would be fine to prune a good bit off. It can put on new growth safely before colder weather sets in. A feed afterwards would probably be beneficial.
I expect someone else who has more experience of them will come along and give you more (or better!) advice though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We have just given ours (7 feet high) a severe pruning. They usually respond well. I'd suggest keeping well watered and give some liquid feed once a week for the next few weeks just to get over the shock.
I gave mine a good chop a few years ago. There were hardly any leaves left, it looked bare for a while but a couple of years on it's a really thick shrub again
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Cool. Thanks all. Didn't want to wait another year.
What would one feed it with afterwards?
I'd reckon a seaweed feed Stephen. You can get it in liquid form and you just dilute it. It's ideal for promoting foliage, rather than flowers, so it suits a shrub like Pittosporum which tends to have insignificant flowers. However, a general purpose food like Blood,Fish and Bone sprinkled round the base and tickled into the soil will also be fine.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cheers