MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Was out in by the developers when we moved in. Can I just trim the leaves back without killing it? No idea what it is!
Which one? There are two there. If it’s the tall pointy one then It’s a Phormium, I hate them so would just dig it out. However if you want to keep it then cut all the dead bits out as low down as you can..You can also cut the older bits right back leaving the newer shoots
Brazilian or wild?
I see an easily trimmable bush and a phormiun . I'd get rid of the phormiun personally.
I wouldn’t describe either as a ‘bush’, at least, not for some time.
Trimming, well, a small pair of hand shears, and don’t go too mad at them.
In that situation I'd get rid of both. Neither are ideal for where they are.
They’re right by the door aren’t they? As Sarawak says, get rid of both, if you want something bushy there then a nice little box will do, or plant something that will smell nice when you brush past it, lavender etc
Cheers. I will attack the phormium at the weekend then. The other one I am happy trimming. If it dies it isn’t a great loss
I'd take them both out & put lavender in. (if its a sunny spot.)
Stick the phormium in a shady corner where nowt else grows & I'd prune the shrub and give it a go elsewhere. I like the leaves on that one.
🙂
Hmmm, that's a lot of work.
I'd get rid of them both and get plastic look-alike versions. Great for the kids and zero maintenance! 😉
That spiky reedy thing... there was about 8 of them in my tiny back garden! Dug em all out. Very satisfying. Trim them and they just come back bigger and stronger (like other bushes). Hideous things.
Trim them and they just come back bigger and stronger (like other bushes). Hideous things.
This applies to most established plants. What doesn't kill it, will at worst result in it sitting dormant for the rest of the season before coming back next year probably stronger. So just hack them back to the size you actually want, then go right to the base and cut out anything that looks even remotely unhealthy.
You can divide phorniums, just chop it with a sharp spade leaving about 1/3 of the plant in the ground and dig the rest out and plant elsewhere if you like it. It will be much healthier afterwards and grow less densely. Repeat late spring each year as it grows.
We have about 15 fruit bushes (gooseberry, black. Red and white currant and raspberry) as I find I'm far more motivated to garden when there's crumble involved! After last year's miserable crop someone suggested not pruning them, just cut them right back to the stump as soon as the leaves are gone. They're already about 2ft tall again with new growth and much more 'bush' shaped. Might not fruit much this year as all the energy is going into growing but should result in a much healthier plant.
And a pampas grass in the front lawn which was so big I did the first trim with a chainsaw then filled an 8x4ft trailer with what I dug out! It's still there!
Tinas, do you net them to keep the birds off? I've got what looks like a good crop on my cherry tree this year, birds destroyed them last year though, need to think about protecting them.
Net your cherries. I chuck one over my allotment cherry every year.
We have about 15 fruit bushes (gooseberry, black. Red and white currant and raspberry) as I find I’m far more motivated to garden when there’s crumble involved! After last year’s miserable crop someone suggested not pruning them, just cut them right back to the stump as soon as the leaves are gone. They’re already about 2ft tall again with new growth and much more ‘bush’ shaped. Might not fruit much this year as all the energy is going into growing but should result in a much healthier plant.
Depends which fruit you are talking about. Some fruit on this years growth, so cutting them right back at the end of the season helps. Others fruit on last year's growth so cutting them back in autumn defeats the object. Check which is which, and you'll get a better crop every year. Correct pruning is the key - with every plant - so a few minutes reading up will pay big dividends.
P.S. Will you save me some crumble? I can supply Bird's Custard.
a pampas grass in the front lawn
Just having the patio done so will probably be getting the matching sex pond too.
Depends which fruit you are talking about. Some fruit on this years growth, so cutting them right back at the end of the season helps. Others fruit on last year’s growth so cutting them back in autumn defeats the object. Check which is which, and you’ll get a better crop every year. Correct pruning is the key – with every plant – so a few minutes reading up will pay big dividends.
They had reached a state where they were just too big and dense, IIRC they should fruit on last year's but had lots of flowers this year so should still get something.
We dont net them, they've usually been harvested by the time migrating birds arrive. The grape vine is more 50/50 as that needs leaving as late as possible to maximise the sugar content. Most years we get it right and harvest it then the birds will absolutely obliterate what's left the next weekend!
For those with good memories, this was one of the reasons I got rid of my reedy bush thing...