Pruning hebes

heynonnynonny

Got a couple of these in the front gravel garden, domed, and spreading very very far, would like to trim to keep in check but am I best waiting until autumn rather than right now?

Mojisola

I'll be interested in what others say, but I've always pruned ours after they've flowered. I think if you leave them til autumn they will stay looking "pruned" all winter but doing them during the growing season gives them a chance to fill out again.

elsien

Mine seem to flower regardless of what I do, so I tend to hack bits off as and when. It does cut the flowers off but they do seem to develop more flowers anyway. Just done a major hatchet job on a really huge one and it's sprouting out quite nicely at the moment. Whereas the one I did in the autumn a couple of years back turned up its toes with the frost.
No idea what you're actually meant to do, just my personal experience.

heynonnynonny

They are spreading all over the gravel haha, I just hope I can cut them back in the neat dome they are already in! I foud bluebells hiding underneath them too! They are massive

GarnetLady

Ooh, good question!

I was looking at my one the other day and wondering the same thing. It's the little one that was on deathwatch, seems to be recovering but it has a lot of dead bits that I think I'll need to cut back.

heynonnynonny

Oh is that the one you bought from B and Q (I think)? My B and Q bargs have proved a bit of a false economy, the shrub I bought has been rubbish and not picked up at all, and the £2.50 bay tree I've had to practically cut back to the ground

GarnetLady

heynonnynonny wrote: »

Oh is that the one you bought from B and Q (I think)? My B and Q bargs have proved a bit of a false economy, the shrub I bought has been rubbish and not picked up at all, and the £2.50 bay tree I've had to practically cut back to the ground

I got it from Dobbies I think.

My B&Q 25p heather is dead I think. I feel so sorry for the plants there. And some of what they try to sell in bargain corner is a disgrace, most are dead. :mad:

Hope your bay tree makes it.