Pruning dogwoods

JoeX

Hi all,

Ive got three larger cornus albus planted last autumn and five smaller cornus sanguinea, planted early this January.  

Should I trim any of them back?  I’ve read that you shouldn’t prune in their first year - but is that the first year since I planted or in their first year of life?



The larger ones are coming into leaf quickly too.



Cheers TP

Slum

I’d leave the ones planted this year. The albus I’d trim around a third to a half of last year’s growth. Over the coming season they’ll bulk up and can be trimmed harder next year.  That’s the approach I took with mine and they’re now well established. 

DampGardenMan

Keep an eye on them - dogwoods love to sucker and spread, and they won't necessarily stay in your garden (I assume that's next-door we can see in the photos).

JoeX

Slum said:

I’d leave the ones planted this year. The albus I’d trim around a third to a half of last year’s growth. Over the coming season they’ll bulk up and can be trimmed harder next year.  That’s the approach I took with mine and they’re now well established. 

Thanks, how can I tell what last year’s growth was given that I didnt have them until autumn?

floralies

I planted Cornus Alba Baton Rouge last spring. They sat in very wet clay soil and then baked hard in the summer. They are growing well but I have decided to leave them this year to make sure they are well established.

jamesharcourt

I have a few of a similar size which I planted last year and I'm just leaving them for this year.   Not that it's based on any advice or science, just a vibe I have to leave them :-)

Lizzie27

I would leave them for this year as well. They do need to get their roots well established before hard pruning. If they sprawl out a bit later in the year and get in your way, then it will be fine to cut those branches back a bit.

Slum

Tin pot said:

Slum said:

I’d leave the ones planted this year. The albus I’d trim around a third to a half of last year’s growth. Over the coming season they’ll bulk up and can be trimmed harder next year.  That’s the approach I took with mine and they’re now well established. 

Thanks, how can I tell what last year’s growth was given that I didnt have them until autumn?

Work on the assumption it is from where they where last pruned. In effect you’re just giving them a light prune which will encourage them to fill out a bit. 

Posy

Older stems lose their bright colour. I wouldn't cut back baby plants like those, they need to get established and put down strong roots.