back for advice can anyone tell me when you prune this shrub back as I hearing so many different things when to Prune the shrub some said it has no flowers on it now is the best time surely that cannot be correct can it? Help
Hi Dougi - not sure from your post if your mock orange has flowered this year or not? I'm assuming it's a Philadelphus, though other shrubs are sometimes called mock orange. Perhaps you can upload a photo? Philadelphus flowers on stems grown the previous year, so if you prune it immediately after flowering (ie now) it has maximum time to grow new shoots and produce flower buds on them for next year. If you prune it in the winter you shorten all those new shoots and lose the flowers. If you look carefully at the bush you can identify new shoots, with nice big healthy leaves and pale green or fawn bark. Try to cut back to where those shoots come from a branch and you'll be fine.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
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Now.As soon as the last flower has fallen off, cut the thickest,oldest branches down hard, leaving new branches to flower next year.
Hi Dougi - not sure from your post if your mock orange has flowered this year or not? I'm assuming it's a Philadelphus, though other shrubs are sometimes called mock orange. Perhaps you can upload a photo? Philadelphus flowers on stems grown the previous year, so if you prune it immediately after flowering (ie now) it has maximum time to grow new shoots and produce flower buds on them for next year. If you prune it in the winter you shorten all those new shoots and lose the flowers. If you look carefully at the bush you can identify new shoots, with nice big healthy leaves and pale green or fawn bark. Try to cut back to where those shoots come from a branch and you'll be fine.
Great thanks I am looking at the plant and did not what to due to the different colours on the leave many much appreciated.
Hi Dougi, I did mine last weekend