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Training a photinia ( RED ROBIN)

freddy melonfreddy melon Posts: 9
in Tools and techniques

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 Could sombody give me some advice on how to deal with my photinias that i have planted at the front wall of my house to make a small 1 to1.5 metre hedge for privacy.I planted them last may and they are now coming on well but i dont know if i now have to train them on a trellis or if i prune them or just leave them to get bigger..

any advice is appriciated...Thankyou

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    From the picture freddy I think you'll have your hedge by the end of the summer, they look to be near 3ft already, well one is at least. Patience is all you need, the plants will do the rest. They are well spaced, so let them get on with it.  

  • RBRB Posts: 2

    From my experience, Red Robins tend to look after themselves very well. Just need pruning about twice a year. We did water them well everyday for the first 3-4 months after planting and now after 3years they are well established. So patience is a virtue.

  • Miranda StantonMiranda Stanton Posts: 6

    You could pin them down to provide a thicker hedge, all the side shoots will grow up.

    on the ground or at 45 deg  like an  espaliered you can pleach them (plat or weave)

    You can feed them with sea weed feed and a chelated  nutrient feed that will make them grow and establish quickly. (they will grow like you are in the tropics)

    they are a very versatile plant a bit thin for  topiary but  with wires  you could

     

  • PassionatePassionate Posts: 225

    Hi, you might try snipping the tops of them to encourage bushier growth lower down, if your unsure perhaps snip a couple and see if buds form lower down the stem.

  • AlieshAliesh Posts: 179

    I think you may have planted them too near the wall, they seem close to the base of wall on photos, the soil at the base of a wall can be rather dry. i have a standard photinia they do seem to grow a lot but if you trim every year they will make a good hedge. Also when you prune the new growth will be the red colour, i usually prune mine when the leaves go green to get the nice red new growth.

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,158
    I have resurrected this thread rather than start a new one, as my mother in law has a photinia,  which l believe is called "Little Red Robin", planted against her fence. It's been in just over year, looking healthy, and is putting out new shoots. My OH is thinking of trying to train it against the fence in a kind of pleached style.  Has anyone tried this, if so any tips/advice please ?
    (I wonder what @freddy melon 's look like now ?)
  • mikjulesmikjules Posts: 1
    I have also tried to resurrect this thread as we have just planted some Redrobin's as a shield for privacy (not security), they have only been planted around two months but are a little too high above the fence, Can "notching" be used to stimulate new growth or should we start training the branches down and along to interweave with each other? If so like AnniD above does anyone have any tips
  • freddy melonfreddy melon Posts: 9
    AnniD said:
    I have resurrected this thread rather than start a new one, as my mother in law has a photinia,  which l believe is called "Little Red Robin", planted against her fence. It's been in just over year, looking healthy, and is putting out new shoots. My OH is thinking of trying to train it against the fence in a kind of pleached style.  Has anyone tried this, if so any tips/advice please ?
    (I wonder what @freddy melon 's look like now ?)

  • g1rytg1ryt Posts: 1
    mikjules said:
    I have also tried to resurrect this thread as we have just planted some Redrobin's as a shield for privacy (not security), they have only been planted around two months but are a little too high above the fence, Can "notching" be used to stimulate new growth or should we start training the branches down and along to interweave with each other? If so like AnniD above does anyone have any tips
    Hi, i have the same with my trees? How did you get on? did you notch them? 
    can I ask what you planted at the base? i was wondering whether to plant some more red robins and train them up the fence? has anyone done this successfully? 
    Many thanks 


  • jitjit Posts: 1
    Would love to know how everyone got on. I also have some red robin trees that are a little higher than my fence. Does anyone know if "notching" works? Appreciate any tips here.
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