Hi everybody,
I am terrible with plants. All my indoor plants die. I've been trying to read about trimming bushes and stuff but it sounds like different stuff needs to be trimmed after different times and are more or less tolerant to the amount of trimming. I was hoping I could get hints for ID and maybe trimming guidelines for even just a couple of these before I go to town. Thanks in advance for any help!
First one:
A. This thing is a mess. I have three just like them. I need to chop the daylights out of it.
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/671eb44e.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/551f6ad5.jpg[/img][/img]
-
BlackThumbPA
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 10:42 am
- Location: PA
-
BlackThumbPA
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 10:42 am
- Location: PA
B. I think this is a bush. This thing is so big you have no idea. It's about 7' tall. I want it reduced by about 30%. Can I just go at it with the trimmers?
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/3fd01c61.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/e442cae9.jpg[/img]
C. This thing obviously needs work. What is it? It makes lost of clustered white flowers. I think it blooms in August but I could very well be wrong. Can I just chop it up or do I have to wait for it to bloom?
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/7115ec9d.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/a24e290c.jpg[/img]
D. This thing makes purple flowers. I think I remember seeing it make flowers the same time when the white ones were out (C. above)
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/b4294c8d.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/0682a256.jpg[/img]
E. I think this is another bush. I'm just going to cut it back unless somebody has an objection.
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/00ec6617.jpg[/img]
F. This thing is a dissaster. There are a lot of things in in this mess including lots of pricker vines. I'm just going to cut it all appart and then pull out whatever dies. But I figured I should throw it up there in case somebody sees something worth saving.
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/ce4cbebc.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/16e6af40.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/e0d9e766.jpg[/img]
I know I'm asking for a lot here. I'm not asking for a research project, would just appreciate anybody recognizing any of these plants to chime in so that when I go after them I got a better chance of not messing up one or two of them. Thanks again!
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/3fd01c61.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/e442cae9.jpg[/img]
C. This thing obviously needs work. What is it? It makes lost of clustered white flowers. I think it blooms in August but I could very well be wrong. Can I just chop it up or do I have to wait for it to bloom?
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/7115ec9d.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/a24e290c.jpg[/img]
D. This thing makes purple flowers. I think I remember seeing it make flowers the same time when the white ones were out (C. above)
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/b4294c8d.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/0682a256.jpg[/img]
E. I think this is another bush. I'm just going to cut it back unless somebody has an objection.
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/00ec6617.jpg[/img]
F. This thing is a dissaster. There are a lot of things in in this mess including lots of pricker vines. I'm just going to cut it all appart and then pull out whatever dies. But I figured I should throw it up there in case somebody sees something worth saving.
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/ce4cbebc.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/16e6af40.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af68/mipafox/ab/e0d9e766.jpg[/img]
I know I'm asking for a lot here. I'm not asking for a research project, would just appreciate anybody recognizing any of these plants to chime in so that when I go after them I got a better chance of not messing up one or two of them. Thanks again!
-
bullthistle
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1152
- Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:26 am
- Location: North Carolina
Yes you are asking a lot distance too far from the plant. Since all seem to be deciduous I would wait until fall or winter to prune them back. I beleive the white flower vase plant is a P.G. Hydrangea. Next to last photo looks like a spirea but then again maybe not. The last photo looks like the flower of a crape myrtle but you're in PA and supposedly they are not hardy there, but maybe it's protected. Third from last could be a lilac. The one next to, to the left, what I beleive is a P.G. Hydrangea looks like an hibiscus, the shape anyway. Sorry but you may want to go cooperative extension, but then they may not have a clue looking at it in their hands.
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
B. I'm thinking this is just Japanese honeysuckle shrub. If I'm right, it's an invasive exotic, and will take over your yard unless you get rid of it.
C is definitely some kind of hydrangea.
D. is Rose of Sharon
E. is lilac
2nd pic in F is spirea
the pink flowers in F are peonies, not a shrub.
So B... cut it off at ground level and paint Round up on the cut stem, if you don't mind using Round up. Or else cut it all down and just keep cutting all the new stems that come back as soon as they appear so it never has a chance to leaf out. After 2 or 3 years of this, it will finally give up and die!
C. hydrangeas don't need much pruning. Not sure why you want to "chop it up." "do I have to wait for it to bloom? " Is this an old picture? In the picture it looks like it is mostly done blooming. If you want it smaller, just cut some of the oldest stems off at ground level (no more than 1/3) after it is done blooming.
D. Rose of Sharon is a very tough fast spreading shrub that sends up lots of new shoots and seedlings. It will survive pretty much whatever you do to it, but best time to prune it is before it leafs out in the spring. Just cut the stems back to how tall you want it. The stems will branch out at the cut spot, making for more flowers.
E. if cared for, the lilac should be covered in gorgeous, deliriously fragrant flowers next spring (did it bloom this spring?) If doesn't need a lot of pruning, but would benefit from pruning the mulberry and other tree branches away from it, give it a little more space and sunshine. Other than that, prune out dead wood, cut out crossing branches that rub against each other and cut a few stems out from the middle to open up the center to light and air. Cut out a lot of the branches that are growing in toward the center, leaving the outward growing ones. Like the hydrangea, if you want it smaller, just cut off some of the oldest stems at ground level, no more than 1/3. Time to do that is as soon as you can after it blooms, I.e. now.
C is definitely some kind of hydrangea.
D. is Rose of Sharon
E. is lilac
2nd pic in F is spirea
the pink flowers in F are peonies, not a shrub.
So B... cut it off at ground level and paint Round up on the cut stem, if you don't mind using Round up. Or else cut it all down and just keep cutting all the new stems that come back as soon as they appear so it never has a chance to leaf out. After 2 or 3 years of this, it will finally give up and die!
C. hydrangeas don't need much pruning. Not sure why you want to "chop it up." "do I have to wait for it to bloom? " Is this an old picture? In the picture it looks like it is mostly done blooming. If you want it smaller, just cut some of the oldest stems off at ground level (no more than 1/3) after it is done blooming.
D. Rose of Sharon is a very tough fast spreading shrub that sends up lots of new shoots and seedlings. It will survive pretty much whatever you do to it, but best time to prune it is before it leafs out in the spring. Just cut the stems back to how tall you want it. The stems will branch out at the cut spot, making for more flowers.
E. if cared for, the lilac should be covered in gorgeous, deliriously fragrant flowers next spring (did it bloom this spring?) If doesn't need a lot of pruning, but would benefit from pruning the mulberry and other tree branches away from it, give it a little more space and sunshine. Other than that, prune out dead wood, cut out crossing branches that rub against each other and cut a few stems out from the middle to open up the center to light and air. Cut out a lot of the branches that are growing in toward the center, leaving the outward growing ones. Like the hydrangea, if you want it smaller, just cut off some of the oldest stems at ground level, no more than 1/3. Time to do that is as soon as you can after it blooms, I.e. now.
-
BlackThumbPA
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 10:42 am
- Location: PA
Wow, thanks a million!
I want to trim hydrangea because it is weeping all over (almost touching ground) and has bare spots and overgrown spots etc. I can't get a lawmower past it anymore. It's much bigger than it looks in the pic. Now I don't remember when it bloomed. I thought those flowers were from last year but maybe I was wrong.
I'm going to take all the advice. For the bush, I'm going to cut it back.
And that mess in the last pic I'm going to start trimming and pulling stuff out. It's like a three canopy jungle. And there are mice in there you can see the trail in the pick. There are mice all over the property. I think there is Rose of Sharon in there too but the trunk was busted in a storm. It still blooms so I just left it broken and leaning in that mess.
Do I need to clip flower stems off any of these or is it always trimming branches from the main trunk?
Now that I have a good idea what they are I will read up myself, too. I need to trim all of them because they are driving me crazy. Crazy I said! Except for the one rainbowgardener said to wait.
Thanks again!
I want to trim hydrangea because it is weeping all over (almost touching ground) and has bare spots and overgrown spots etc. I can't get a lawmower past it anymore. It's much bigger than it looks in the pic. Now I don't remember when it bloomed. I thought those flowers were from last year but maybe I was wrong.
I'm going to take all the advice. For the bush, I'm going to cut it back.
And that mess in the last pic I'm going to start trimming and pulling stuff out. It's like a three canopy jungle. And there are mice in there you can see the trail in the pick. There are mice all over the property. I think there is Rose of Sharon in there too but the trunk was busted in a storm. It still blooms so I just left it broken and leaning in that mess.
Do I need to clip flower stems off any of these or is it always trimming branches from the main trunk?
Now that I have a good idea what they are I will read up myself, too. I need to trim all of them because they are driving me crazy. Crazy I said! Except for the one rainbowgardener said to wait.
Thanks again!