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Large Pittosporum
bulkerb
Posts: 258
The new garden where I am now working has a very large Pittosporum which has out grown its spot by a country mile.
Infact its a round 12 to 15 feet tall and around 8 to 10 wide what can I do to save it from being chain sawed down and pulled out as the owner thinks its to big and when should I do any work on it ideas please as always thanks forkers Lester
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I think you can prune them to keep them manageable Lester. They're not always very hardy up here, so I don't grow them - although I'd like to.
I'm sure you'll get further advice on pruning, and it's probably best done when the danger of frost is gone - especially if it's that size. Do you know what variety it is?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
thanks fairy girl no I do not know what variety it is but I will try and check tomorrow thanks and god bless Lester
Hi
There's some advice on this earlier thread http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/plants/how-should-i-shape-my-pittosporum/4416.html/
Don't know if it helps
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I had a monstrous pittosporum at my house on the Texas Gulf Coast. I had to prune it heavily to confine it to the "L" of the house. Didn't seem to matter how heavily or when I pruned it, but usually I did so in early spring before new shoots. They don't mind heavy pruning at all. Do bear in mind the dark green ones can turn variegated when heavily pruned and vice versa. So you get both types of shrub in alternate years: green and variegated. Wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves to prune, as the sap from the cuts will blacken your skin and it's REAL noxious smelling and very hard to wash off. I'm personally not too fond of Pittosporum because of the regular pruning needs, but they are relatively easy to prune, just requiring a good lopping tool to lop out whole branches; and nippers to get the small tips in shape.
Last edited: 20 March 2017 19:26:13
Hi Lester
I've got a varigated pittosporum that was about the same size and I had to make a similar decision a few years ago.
I gave it an extremely severe prune in mid-summer (so hardly ideal timing) but left about 4 branches unpruned so it still had some leaves.
The following year it was still alive, but not much recovery, but from then on, it's really bushed-out nicely and I've given the remaining branches a severe prune.
I'll post a pic tomorrow - memory permitting
Hope your still enjoying life with your new garden and that your dog is fully recovered now
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Thanks pete8 and to all of you your a wealth of fantastic knowledge and it helps me in my daily life as tiny Tim would say God bless you one and all
Hi Lester - here's my pittosporum today -
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
That is big. I assume you are thinking about taking it down by half? I do prune mine but never by that much! good luck!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I had one which was about 3m high and far too big for the space (I didn't plant it).
In a 'kill it or cure' moment I cut it back to a metre high and thereafter kept it trimmed lollipop / topiary style at about 5'. Good size and shape for the space in the end.
I always think if the alternative to digging out a plant is to give it a really hard prune / cut back (no matter how severe) there's nothing to lose by cutting it back. If it fails you can still dig it out