Shape Pruning: Pruning for shape enhances the rhododendrons form and habit. Don’t go out and cut just because you happened to see your neighbor dragging limbs around his yard. We prune for the following reasons: 1. The Owners. Cut back to a live bud if damage is moderate or minor. Rhododendron 'Ramapo' (Dwarf rhododendron 'Ramapo') will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 1.2m after 10-20 years. Rhododendron pruning usually is conducted immediately after the flowering season ends, but no later than mid-June. Any tips on this shrub would be appreciated. Learn how to grow rhododendrons in your garden with the RHS expert guide on choosing, planting, feeding, pruning and propagating plants. All of our Dwarf Rhododendron plants are evergreen, we offer them as bushy young plants in 2 litre pots or slightly larger (they grow slowly!) This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Watering potted rhododendron . wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. have an attractive, natural shape that may lead you to believe they don't need regular pruning. Long-handled loppers are needed rarely, but are useful if a larger branch is broken, diseased or encroaching on the outer limits of its allotted space. Apr 13, 2014 - Rhododendrons in the garden brighten the spring landscape with large flower clusters, which are fragrant in certain varieties. For Judy Kilpatrick, gardening is the best mental health therapy of all. Pruning There are sufficient breaks in the blustery days of late winter and early spring in which pruning can be done in reasonable comfort. That way, the new base can become established before it must sustain the entire plant. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. You can keep your rhododendrons healthy and looking the way you want them to by pruning in your style and at the right time of year. When to Prune a Dwarf Rhododendron. They are great for landscaping and produce beautiful flowers in the spring and summer. If your city has a yard debris program, you can put your cut branches in your yard debris bin. Large, tree-like rhododendrons can sometimes require an expert to take care of them. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. First, the ideal time to do undertake rejuvenation pruning is not after flowering (that’s when you do light pruning), but rather early in the spring, before the start of the growing season. Suggested uses. You should not use this method if your rhododendron is sick or especially old, because it is more likely to be shocked and not revive after such a harsh cut. Hardly the choice in front of the living room picture window. There should be little or no need to prune. A dwarf flowering evergreen shrub with a tight, compact form and sensational spring flowers. You can check with your local landscaping company to see if they offer the services you need. Try not to prune during a freeze. Pruning should be done with a purpose in mind. And sometimes a storm or other situation causes severe damage and a plant is badly broken and injured. Tall, leggy plants should be replaced with smaller varieties or plants having a low, mounding growth habit. To remove diseased plant material, cut back to an area of healthy growth. To reduce shrub size, wait for the end of the summer and cut just above a bud so it will split into multiple branches. It missed the house by a wide margin, but it didn’t miss the rock garden, which I had lovingly tended for years. This tiny plant displays gorgeous clusters of bright purple flowers in late spring. Cultivation. If the rhododendron is large and overgrown or already looks unattractive and flowers poorly, it's best to severely prune the plant in early spring. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. We love its lovely healthy foliage and habit. Dead, diseased or broken limbs or twigs should be removed as soon as they are noticed during any season of the year. Requiring little care, dwarf rhododendrons can be used as foundation or boundary shrubs. Thank you. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/29\/Prune-Rhododendrons-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Rhododendrons-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/29\/Prune-Rhododendrons-Step-1.jpg\/aid11303208-v4-728px-Prune-Rhododendrons-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":" \u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Hand clippers are useful for deadheading rhododendrons after flowering. R. racemosum 'Dwarf' (dwarf Mayflower rhododendron), a dwarf lepidote rhododendron, is a spreading semi-prostrate plant 2 feet high and up to 5 feet wide, with many-branched wiry stems. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. \u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Although there is often little need for pruning rhododendrons, especially in naturalized settings, these shrubs respond well to the occasional trimming. If the plant has been long-neglected, it likely will be necessary first to cut out a tangle of dead branches. Pruning only the dead parts of your plant will also help promote a more natural, less landscaped look for your rhododendron. mission, vision and values. problems with rhododendrons. All rhododendrons can be pruned to maintain their natural habit, but to try to keep a tall growing rhododendron small or low growing is not practical. Azalea ‘Midsummer Coral’ Advertisement. Less severe pruning to reshape and rejuvenate should take place in midspring. Rhododendron leucaspis. Ask for professional help if you need it. If your rhododendron needs massive pruning, I would spread it out over two or three years to avoid shock. Height 40-60cm in 10 years. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Plant in small groupings in front of taller shrubs. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Rhododendron and azalea varieties to try. Rhododendrons are known for their beautiful flowers, so you may want to see your plant with its flowers before you decide to take some away. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. \u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. 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