That old gardener at the nursery told me to prune my roses harder and I'm finally seeing the payoff after 3 seasons of wimpy blooms

I used to just snip the tips but she said cut them down to 18 inches in early spring and now my bush is stacked with flowers, has anyone else gotten brutal pruning advice that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessaperry4d ago

18 inches?! That's practically bonsai territory...

abby_morgan184d ago

My lavender got the same ruthless chop last September and I swear it came back looking like a fluffy green hedge. If 18 inches is bonsai territory then my roses are basically Bonsai Kittens because I cut them that low every spring and they still put out so many blooms it looks like a floral riot. At this point I think the secret is just being brave enough to really hack things back before they have a chance to get leggy.

taylor9574d ago

My neighbor laughed at me when I cut my lavender back to just a few woody stubs last fall, but that thing came back denser than ever this year. I used to just trim the tops and got long, floppy stems. Now I chop it hard in late August and the plants stay compact with way more of those purple spikes. Your rose story makes me think I've been too gentle with my hydrangeas too. Might have to give them the same treatment next spring.