Pruning 'The President'

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version

Hello, I am enthusiastic but not widely knowledgeable.

I have The President which unfortunately has the flowers 7-8ft high and are now hidden amongst a wisteria. Also the lower 6-7ft is just brown stems - no leaves and no flowers.

1)  what is best way to prune this so i get all (or at least most) interest lower down on the plant? and any special future treatment?

I know the books say not to prune but:

My thinking would be cut it back to 2-3ft in the knowledge that new growth this year would supply next years flowers - but maybe it might not respond well.

Any advice for this or any other group 2's (which i have a few but no labels!) would be much appreciated.

Thank You

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version
danny connors Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 21 Aug 2010 Posts: 12	Quote Reply Topic: Pruning 'The President' Posted: 24 Jun 2012 at 4:25pm
	Hello, I am enthusiastic but not widely knowledgeable. I have The President which unfortunately has the flowers 7-8ft high and are now hidden amongst a wisteria. Also the lower 6-7ft is just brown stems - no leaves and no flowers. 1) what is best way to prune this so i get all (or at least most) interest lower down on the plant? and any special future treatment? I know the books say not to prune but: My thinking would be cut it back to 2-3ft in the knowledge that new growth this year would supply next years flowers - but maybe it might not respond well. Any advice for this or any other group 2's (which i have a few but no labels!) would be much appreciated. Thank You

yaku Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 82	Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jun 2012 at 8:59am
	prune and feed now to 2feet & keep watered and you will have flowers later this season, you may need to prune to 3 feet during winter to keep it low and you will not really loose any flowers by doing that, only a slight delay in flowering. Cheers Peer the old version of Group B (2) is just talking about the large often double flowers you can get on old wood, most group B (2) looks better pruned every winter to <> 3 feet (60cm) See the Evision's recomendations, his Evipo do not differ that much from the most large flowering hybrids Edited by yaku - 26 Jun 2012 at 9:05am

danny connors Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 21 Aug 2010 Posts: 12	Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jun 2012 at 8:17pm
	Thanks for your reply and advice. I will do this but one further question. There is no green growth from 3ft down, just brown stems. Where would the regrowth come from - below ground or off the old brown stems. Thanks Danny

yaku Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 82	Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jun 2012 at 8:50am
	there will be sleeping buds in the nodes (the stem are little thicker, like a knee where the nodes are) they are hidden behind a bast layer. If the stem not has been pruned for some years, it may be advisable to only prune back to above where you can see a bud. It's important to use a fertilizer when pruning or a week or so before, 50-100gram NPK for a larger plant, no fert to close to stem! Old vines on hybrid Clematis there need radical pruning, prune back to above lowest visible buds early in ther winter, late in the winter you will see new buds developing below the cut, then cut again back to just above lowest visible bud , with radical lowering (rejuvenating) it may be needed to do this over a couple of years cheers Peer Edited by yaku - 28 Jun 2012 at 8:52am

danny connors Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 21 Aug 2010 Posts: 12	Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jun 2012 at 8:05pm
	Thanks Peer. Much appreciated.