Pruning an ugly Weigela

Leif

I have two Weigela against a fence. The fence goes SW to NE, and the plants are on the partially shaded side, so the lower parts of the plants get direct sunlight for 1/3 of the day. One is great. The other is horrible. It it about 2m tall and consists of a dense cluster of stems, each about 1" to 2" wide, with little side growth. I pruned the overgrown top last summer, and it sprouted huge numbers of stems from the top, all growing upwards. I can't believe how fast these new stems grew. Anyway, how can I encourage a more bushy growth? At present it looks ugly, whereas the other one has a lovely spreading form from about 1m above ground level up to about 3m.

I thought about chopping the ugly one to about 30cm above ground level, to encourage new growth which might spread out. It'll take a few years to grow back but I want to get a more pleasing shape. Or should I pull it out? It's been there for many years, if not decades.

theoretica

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/pruning-weigela.htm

Advises chopping the whole thing down to 4 inches high and starting with all new growth. As a basic rule you need to chop the old branches down to just above where you want new growth.

Leif

theoretica wrote: »

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/pruning-weigela.htm

Advises chopping the whole thing down to 4 inches high and starting with all new growth. As a basic rule you need to chop the old branches down to just above where you want new growth.

Thanks, I saw that earlier and it might be the answer.