Pruning Spirea After Flowering: How To Properly Prune A Spring-flowering White And Other Spirea? Do I Need To Cut Her?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

Spirea is a perennial shrub of the Pink family. This is a rather unpretentious plant, adapted to summer heat and winter frosts. We will tell you how to properly prune spirea after flowering.

Peculiarities

A light-loving plant can live up to 15 years, loves moisture and sun. In the wild, it can be found near water bodies or on the edges of the forest. With good care, the plant grows up to 15 cm per year. The plant has more than 80 species and is very popular . It is planted both singly and in composition with other plants.

Long flowering and beautiful shrub shape can be achieved with periodic pruning.

Do you need a haircut?

Spirea grows very quickly, over time, its bush begins to start up young shoots, fall apart in different directions, acquiring a not very attractive shape. Correct and stable pruning will help restore and improve the shape of the shrub, as well as get rid of dry and unnecessary branches , stimulate long-term flowering, make it possible to survive the winter without consequences and preserve flower embryos. Spirea shoots are short-lived, they are enough for 2-3 years. Then they dry up and make the shrub look abandoned, do not provide an opportunity for the formation of new shoots. The quality and timing of pruning apply to different types of spirea in different ways.

Trim types

• Sanitary . This pruning can be done after the snow has melted. In the process of pruning, dry branches are removed and small growths inside the bush are removed. This method provokes an increase in the number of buds, and the plant gives all its strength to the growth of healthy shoots. Overwintered dry buds are also removed along with the frozen top of the shoots. The cut should be done only over the kidney. This method is used for shrubs over 3 years old.
• Stimulating . Pruning is carried out over the buds by reducing the size of the branches, leaving 25-30 cm for the growth of the young. The procedure takes place in June. Spirea will bloom thickly and look gorgeous.
• Formative . In the spring or summer, they make a transformation of the bushes of any shape, depending on your preferences. If you want a rounded shrub, make the cut lines at the same level, slowly rounding the outlines of the shrub. If you have a hedge of this shrub that blooms in July, prune in late summer when the plant has faded. And in the spring, just correct the silhouette. Shorten the longest branches by 25 cm. Always control the inside of the bush. Do this 2-3 times a year. A heavily overgrown shrub contributes to the development of fungal diseases and a favorable environment for pests. Remove dry branches and thin out young shoots.
• Anti-aging . The rejuvenating effect is obtained by completely cutting off the shoots to a level of 20 cm from the soil. It is used for old bushes 10-12 years old. You can leave only 5-10 last year's branches uncut. Thanks to this procedure, the plant can grow up to 20 years.

Pruning Spring Blooming Species

The following types are referred to spring-flowering spirea:

• "Wangutta";
• "Nipponskaya";
• "Gray";
• "Thunberg";
• "Dubravkolistnaya";
• "Average Gorodchaty";
• "Arguta".

They are characterized by a white bloom with a yellowish center and very long stamens. A dense umbrella-shaped bloom envelops the shoots, forcing them to tilt towards the ground. Flowers form on last year's shoots along the entire length of the branch. This show lasts 2-3 weeks. Some species are white or cream colored.

Shrubs that bloom in May and June are pruned in the summer immediately after flowering . Since they are prone to abundant growth of shoots, circumcision is simply necessary for them. All types of pruning are applicable to these types of spirits. You need to cut off the branches by about one third after flowering stops, in the middle of summer. This is necessary in order for the flowering to be saturated in spring. Early flowering shrubs can be given any shape. Such species quickly grow the crown, so if you neglect cutting, they will simply lose their appearance and will not be decorative.

For example, gray spirea begins to bloom in late May - early June and grows up to 2 meters. Therefore, when pruning occurs, many inflorescences are still blooming and it is a pity to cut them off. But she tolerates this procedure well, and next year her crown will grow again.

Pruning summer flowering varieties

For summer-flowering varieties, pruning is necessary to stimulate long-term flowering. After all, the buds are formed on the stems of the current year. Summer-flowering shrubs include the following types of shrubs:

• "Berezolistnaya";
• Billard;
• "Felt";
• “Ivolistnaya;
• "Japanese";
• "Dwarf";
• Boomalda;
• Douglas;
• "Dense-flowered".

They delight with their color all summer. Inflorescences of bright shades from pink to purple are formed in the form of small fans or large umbrellas. Such types of spirea can be trimmed in autumn, closer to cold weather. Moreover, you can cut it very strongly, almost above the soil, removing all dry shoots and even overgrowth. All this will only benefit the bush.

If you have a very overgrown bush, before pruning, you can plant it additionally by dividing the root system or by cutting cut the cuttings and plant them in a rooting pot , periodically watering until green leaves appear. If, despite all your efforts with pruning, the shrub does not give the desired results, it is better to dig it up and plant another. After pruning, insulate the shrub for the winter with a layer of foliage or sawdust. And in the spring, remove all this and sprinkle the bush with organic fertilizer.

For instance, spirea "Bumalda" blooms in the first year of planting … The inflorescence is formed at the top of the shoot. By the next year, the top of the shoots dies off, and flowering begins on the shoots from the sides. The plant is durable due to dense growth, each stem lives for 6-7 years. Therefore, such bushes must be cut annually from 4 years of growth by cutting off the entire upper part at a height of 30 cm from the ground.

Scheme and rules for trimming hedges

Hedges require even more attention than regular spirea shrubs. Any plant varieties are suitable for its creation. Since this shrub grows instantly, the pruning in the hedge should be with clear, even lines. Young hedges should be pruned in the second year of life . One third of the total year-over-year growth will be enough for a cut. In adult plants, half of the grown shoots can be cut off in a year.

Spring pruning

The first pruning is carried out when the bush is planted in the spring. In this case, the branches must be cut in half, and dry and damaged shoots must be removed. Cutting to the first outward bud is considered correct. Pruning features are directly related to the age of the plant:

• in the first 2 years of growth, the shoots are shortened at the same level;
• for 3 years, you can cut off all the shoots to the very ground, since they will no longer bloom and can only thicken the shrub.

The formation of a bush can be started in March, provided the temperature is stable without frost.

Summer pruning

During the summer flowering, spirea is in great need of attention. During flowering, you need to delicately remove the already faded inflorescences, preventing the seeds from ripening. This will promote the growth of lateral shoots and will stimulate the duration of flowering.

Features of pruning of different varieties

Spirea white

This very common type of shrub with a height of up to 1.7 meters has a brown color on the bark on the branches and leaves with sharp tops. White bloom begins in July. Faded inflorescences are removed in August after flowering, so that they do not take away the strength from the plant . In the spring, the shrub is cleaned of frozen and dry shoots, forming a silhouette. In the fifth year of growth, the shrub must be periodically cut to 30 cm in height.

Spirea Wangutta

This spirea can be trimmed in April by thinning and removing dried tops from it. Trunks over 7 years old can be disposed of. The growth of this spirea can reach 3 meters. The crown width has a diameter of up to 2.5 meters. Its spreading crowns are covered with white blooms . Pruning can be started immediately after the end of flowering by cutting the branches in half, and the branched branches cut by a third.

Care after pruning

After proper pruning at any time of the year, the plant is stressed and needs to be fed. Fertilizers are applied to mulch soil along with irrigation. If the pruning was summer, then the shrub can be fed with organic fertilizers . The day before, it is necessary to water the plant well so that the nutrients quickly reach the root system. After applying top dressing under the shrub, you can add sawdust or foliage from the compost. As you can see, pruning plays an important role in the life of the spirea.

The most important thing is to apply it correctly and according to the type of plant. Its decorative effect and longevity depend on this.