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Pruning Rhododendron Bushes

Q: I have 2 large rhododendron bushes in the front of the house that were planted by the previous owners. The flowers are absolutely beautiful but the bushes are growing out of control. Is is possible to prune them back without losing the blooms?

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Caviar from Pittsburgh, PA

A: Hi Caviar,

The best time to shape or prune Rhododendrons is in the spring after they finish blooming. Before doing any cutting, look to see if there are small shoots near the base of the shrub. Hopefully you will see some new growth (on the old wood), which is an indicator that your plants will survive pruning without problems. You can cut all the stems/branches back to about 12 inches. Just make sure you keep the shrubs adequately watered during the summer months. If you don't see any new growth at the base, you might be better off selecting only a few branches to cut back this spring, and wait to see if new shoots emerge during the summer. If they do, you can finish the job next spring.

Rhododendrons rarely need pruning, so once you get yours under control, it's likely it will stay that way, although you may want to continue to remove any dead or diseased wood on an annual basis, as soon as the shrub is done blooming.

Good luck!

Ellen

About The Author:
Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com

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