Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Prune an Old Leggy Rhododendron
How to Prune an Old Leggy Rhododendron. In general, rhododendrons require little pruning. In fact, the American Rhododendron Society recommends trimming the bush to control its size, if you want to pick the flowers for an arrangement or to remove spent blooms through the season. But if your rhododendron has become leggy with age, prune it in winter...
In general, rhododendrons require little pruning. In fact, the American Rhododendron Society recommends trimming the bush to control its size, if you want to pick the flowers for an arrangement or to remove spent blooms through the season. But if your rhododendron has become leggy with age, prune it in winter to rejuvenate it. This plant's stems are covered with dormant buds that spring to life when the wood is cut. This feature facilitates a quick recovery and gives you an invigorated shrub that could pass for new.
Things You'll Need
Lopping shears
Saw
Locate the shrub's primary stems, which are the trunks that sprout from the base of the plant and the wood you'll be pruning.
Look for the latent buds on your rhododendron's primary stems. They look like small pink dots. You'll see them in groups and as single spots. Make your pruning cuts above clusters whenever possible. Position your shears ? inch above the buds and cut the wood at a 45-degree angle.
Cut the primary stems back to about 2 feet above the soil line. Prune each of the trunks slightly shorter or taller than the others so they all have different lengths. This preserves the rhododendron's natural look. You might need lopping shears or a saw depending on how thick the wood has become at that level.
Tips & Warnings
Some rhododendrons also survive hard pruning. Find out whether yours can take it by pruning one of the primary stems 6 inches from the ground. Cut the others the same way only if new growth sprouts from the hard-pruned trunk.
