Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' pruning
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Im after some pruning advice please for my Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora'. So far ive never pruned mine as im not sure how.
Ive read that is falls into pruning group 3, and needs a third of its stems cutting down to ground level each year. But when is the best time of the year to do this? Should it be done late spring after flowering to allow new growth this year?
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Prune it back right after flowering. Cut all the stems that have flowered right back as hard as you like. Leave any younger stems as these will bear next year's flowers.
Don't worry if it buckets down and you cannot get it done at the right time as it is impossible to kill so you can prune whenever you have time. Mine has been hacked back at almost every season and in all weathers and still it fills the herges and spinney with glorious clour, not just in the spring either. i swear some of it has been in flower for all of last year.
Thanks, I'll have a go at pruning it when its stopped flowering. So does it flower on the previous years growth?
Yes. that goes for all spring flowering and most early summer flowering shrubs.
Thanks Gold1locks
I had a beautiful 10ft kerria which for many years has blossomed. This year most of it is dead, having only about five green healthy stems. Does anyone know what has happened. Two other large kerria have suffered the same. I don't want to lose it so what should I do
might it be honey fungus?
I purchased my Korea japonica Plentiflora last year. I was delighted with it because it bloomed through November here in northeastern Oklahoma. My question is regarding pruning it. It had a beautiful spring bloom and then a lot of new growth. I want to encourage the second bloom, but I don't know if it wouof be on the new growth or the old growth. I don't want to remove the old growth at this time if I have any chance of having late summer/fall blooming. Does anyone have any experience in this?
Also, I have many friends who would like to get this shrub; it has very limited availability here and is quite expensive. I read that you can just brutally cut the roof in half and it will not damage the existing plant. Has anyone done this? At what time of the year should be done? Thanks so much for any information.