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Pruning spirea is an important point in caring for a beautiful flowering shrub. Since there are many spireas, there are different types and varieties, it is important for the gardener to determine which bush grows on the site. According to the group, spring- or summer-flowering, pruning is carried out.
Do I need to prune spirea after flowering?
To make the shrub decorative, regardless of the flowering period, faded panicles are removed. This is especially important for spireas, whose foliage is sometimes even more picturesque than the flowers. Decorative pruning of spirea, which blooms in late July or early August, emphasizes the expressive autumn colors of the leaves and the shape of the trimmed bush.
The technique for early spring pruning differs for shrubs that bloom in spring or summer. But after flowering, in June, it is imperative to remove branches with faded inflorescences from spireas that bloomed in May or early June. Their flower buds are laid in the fall along the entire length of the branch. Over the summer, a full-fledged shoot is formed, which will bloom buds next spring.The lush shape of bushes of the spring-flowering group is achieved by special pruning of spirea after flowering. Tall flexible shoots are shortened by a third or half. From the remaining buds, several young branches grow, on which buds form.
Those meadowsweet shrubs, as spirea is also called, that bloom in summer, can be arranged at will also after the panicles have withered. But if pruning does not take place, it is carried out in early spring. Summer-flowering species form buds with buds on the shoots of the current year. After removing old branches in April, the plant will still create new ones by the beginning of flowering in July. Pruning paniculata spirea after flowering is not as important as for those plants that bloom in the spring.
When to prune spirea
Varieties of such crops as:
- Wangutta;
- Gray;
- Thunberg;
- Arguta;
- oakleaf;
- Nippon;
- Average.
and some other, less common ones, are pruned at the beginning of summer, when flowering has ended. All these shrubs lay flower buds in the fall. Therefore, March or April formative pruning is contraindicated for them. At this time, only rejuvenating pruning is carried out, when the entire bush is cut off at ground level.
Sanitary pruning is also acceptable, in which the frozen ends of the shoots are cut off, as well as small shoots inside the bush.
Other spirea:
- Douglas;
- Boumalda;
- Billard;
- Willow;
- Birch leaf;
- Japanese;
- White;
- Felt
and several more less common species are pruned either after flowering, from late July-early August, or in early spring. Plants form buds for buds on shoots growing in spring.When working with spirea, you need to know that shaping the bush helps create a larger number of shoots with flower buds.
Types of pruning
When pruning a summer-flowering spirea, several different pruning methods can be applied to it, depending on the age and purpose of planting the shrub. On single bushes, pruning is carried out starting from 3-4 years of age, so that more new shoots are formed for flowering. For proper pruning of spirea, the following types of treatment are practiced in the spring:
- sanitary or cosmetic;
- formative;
- stimulating;
- rejuvenating.
Separately, you can trim spirea, which creates hedges.
Almost the same types of pruning are used for spring-flowering meadowsweet, but they are carried out after flowering. Spirea cuttings are easily tolerated by the plant in summer. Radical treatments to rejuvenate bushes are also carried out in the spring.
A beautiful shrub is formed by pruning and rejuvenation.
How to prune spirea correctly
They work with the bushes as soon as the snow melts. By carrying out sanitary pruning of any meadowsweet bushes, they get rid of damaged shoots and weak growth inside the bush. The plant gives strength to healthy branches, increasing the number of buds. Remove all last year's dry inflorescences from summer flowering bushes. And for early-flowering spirea, care includes pruning weak branches and old, 7-10-year-old shoots in March-April. The frozen tops are also cut off. When shortening the shoot, make sure that the cut is above the bud that grows outward.
Stimulating treatment means shortening the branches so that shoots come from them. The shrub becomes more luxuriant and looks more decorative with many inflorescences.
Young shoots of meadowsweet, which blooms in the summer, are shortened above well-developed buds, from which branches with buds grow in the spring. The same procedure for spring flowering species is performed in June. Bushes with old shoots are transformed, leaving only 25-30 cm of the trunk above the ground. The plant will resume more luxuriantly.
Formative pruning of spirea bushes is also carried out in spring or summer. When cutting off parts of the shoots for the growth of new branches, they try to make the cutting lines at the same level, gradually rounding the silhouette of the bush. The formation of a hedge from meadowsweet bushes, which blooms in July, is postponed until the end of August; in the spring all that remains is to trim the lines. At the same time, the bush is thinned out inside, removing old and twisted branches. Thickening can provoke the development of fungal diseases or create a cozy environment for pests. Control the thickening of the meadowsweet bush once every 2-3 years. To form and trim early-flowering spirea, frozen branches are removed and dense thickets are thinned out. To improve tillering, the longest shoots are shortened by 20-25 cm.
Rejuvenation of the bush is achieved by completely pruning the trunks to the level of the root collar. Sometimes only 5-7 branches from last year are left. Such measures are taken for old plants, after 10-12 years of development. Thanks to such pruning, spirea, whose trunks live for 15-19 years, will develop for a long time in the place chosen by the gardener.
Features of pruning spirea of different varieties
To tidy up the meadowsweet bush that grows in the garden, you only need to study its characteristic data and determine the type.
Pruning white spirea after flowering
The species is widespread in cities and towns of Russia.Branches with brown bark form a bush up to 1.5-1.7 m high. The leaves have sharp tips. Snow-white inflorescences, fluffy due to numerous long stamens, bloom in July. Wilted shields are cut off in August so that the plant does not waste energy on producing seeds, and the branches become stronger. In spring, meadowsweet is cleared of frozen and broken branches and a silhouette is formed. Starting from the age of 4, the bush is periodically cut down to 30 cm above the ground every few years.
Pruning spirea Bride
The favorite spring-flowering plant in many gardens in April is only cleared of frozen tops and thinned out. Spiraea Vangutta, this is the species name of the people's favorite, can grow up to 3 m, with the same crown diameter. Flowers bloom on drooping branches in a picturesque white waterfall. For this spirea, summer pruning begins after flowering. Each long shoot is shortened by half. Branched branches - one third. In spring, the bush is rejuvenated by getting rid of trunks older than 7 years.
Pruning Spiraea Thunberg
This species is similar to Spiraea Wangutta, but its flowers are not as fluffy because the stamens are smaller and shorter. The shoots appear longer and more graceful. And it blooms earlier, when there are no leaves on the branches yet. Apply formative pruning of spring spirea after flowering, from June.
Pruning Spiraea Macrophila
For a powerful, up to 1.3-1.5 m, and fast-growing species with large, bright leaves, early spring pruning is applicable. The variety is magnificent, not only are the pink flowers that bloom in July decorative, but also the leaves are 15-20 cm long and 8-10 cm wide.
In spring the foliage takes on a somewhat reddish hue, and in autumn it turns golden-purple. There is one subtlety when pruning a plant.When an adult bush is cut off at the ground, leaving only 7-12 cm of trunks, the upper foliage of the growing shoots will be colored burgundy-red. After 3-4 years, all shoots are periodically shortened in April or May to 30 cm above the soil.
How to prune willow spirea
A short, up to 1-1.2 m, bush of this type of meadowsweet with narrow leaves captivates with white and pink paniculate inflorescences, up to 20 cm in length, which bloom in summer. Pruning of willow spirea is standard, as for all summer-flowering species, in April.
Care after pruning
After removing branches or parts of shoots, meadowsweet is watered abundantly and fed while mulching, using peat or compost. After summer pruning, the bush is maintained with a mixture of organic matter and minerals. Mullein is prepared in a ratio of 1:5. Add 10 g of superphosphate, already diluted in a liter of hot water and left for 24 hours, to the bucket of mullein infusion. 10 liters of liquid fertilizer is poured under 1 bush. The day before fertilizing, water the bush so that the nutrients penetrate into the damp soil and are quickly absorbed by the roots. Some time after applying fertilizing, the tree trunk circle is shed with another bucket of water if the soil is not sufficiently moistened. Sawdust or composted leaves are suitable as mulch.
Conclusion
Pruning spirea will turn any bush into a beautiful flowering accent in the garden. The crop blooms for a long time, but it is important to first determine the species and prune the plant correctly. A little care and simple maintenance help the beautiful shrub to develop new areas.
