neglected garden -

after not doing much for a few years for one reason or another my garden has become very neglected and i am going to spend money and TIME on it this year! As i have not done a great deal over the last 3-4 years the hardy geraniums i planted seem to have taken over somewhat, my eleagnus is bare at the base and the dogwwods seem to have taken over. Am i right in saying i should give the cornus a real hard prune ( is this within 6 inches or so)? With regards to the geraniums can i just divide them up a bit as some have gone bare in the middle ? Also if I give the eleagnus a good prune will this encourage growth at the bottom ?

 

The answer to the first two parts of your query is Yes. Split up and replant the geraniums with a good feed under them. The Dogwoods can be cut back as hard as you please. The eleagnus is a little more of a problem. Our variegated one has never been cut, except to remove green shoots, so I have no personal experience of what happens if you do cut it back. The book says it needs little pruning, but since it is used as a hedge I would think that it would survive a hard prune.

 

I had to do a lot of severe pruning to my Mum's variegated one, as it had reverted on a lot of stems - and it looks god! It's hard to do it, but take a deep breath,take out all reverting bits (if that's the problem) or otherwise aim for outward facing buds, and go for it! Good luck! (It's tough, you'll need loppers and a pruning saw!)

 

Well i will just take a big breathe and prune away. I do have to be careful though as it seems that once i get a pair of secateurs in my hand i go into a blur and next thing i know there is a huge pile of clippings next to a very pruned shrub! I am so glad i found this site -its great!

 

It's a cold day for it today! When you do go for it, advice I was given, and TRY to follow - is to keep standing back and looking at the overall effect, so maybe you wouldn't have quite to so much lying around, and more on the plant!

 

Lazy-gardener,
re: your Elaeagnus,
don't prune it to hard until the end of april, then remove any reverted branches or side shoots first, once this has been done reduce the remaining shrub by no more than a third, going back to healthy buds or side shoots, see how this fairs for this year, if you get good strong re-growth, then next year take it a bit lower.
the problem of really cutting it back to hard in one go, is that it may send the plant into shock and it will not fair to well..
my motto
YOU CAN ALWAYS TAKE MORE OFF....YOU CAN'T PUT ANY BACK ON! ONCE IT IS DONE ..IT'S DONE!

 

the other snag of cutting back hard, of course, is that it could well respond by growing vigorously, so you're no better off! Where possible, I ahve always tried to take things back gradually when they've taken over the garden, but that's noit always practical.

 

It should, by rights respond well and will probably grow vigorously, but at least you will be able to get a more rounded shrub with sensible pruning over the next 2 - 3 seasons, always remembering to cut out any reverted shoots as they grow as they will try to out do the variaged ones.
if the shrub does grow to fast then it may be very lightly pruned in August, just to keep the shape

 

whoops!!!I was so geared up to do some gardening that i didnt read the read the rest of the posts!!especially the bits that said 'dont prune it yet' I hadnt really noticed that my eleagnus has reverted on one whole side almost so got my hubby to saw that branch out. Not only does it now look very lopsided but now i keep thinking that the shock of me actually trying to help it will end up killing it as i pruned at the wrong time! I ended up pruning loads of other things too- buddleia for one and a couple of roses. Have i just given the death sentence to most of my garden?

 

It is the right time to prune roses, so you're OK there. The buddleia will survive, the only problem is that it might put out new growth which will get frosted and set it back a bit. This applies to some other shrubs as well, so let's hope we don't get any more hard frosts!

 

Tis truly amazing how secateurs get out of control - bin there done that, got the T shirt :D

Roses will be fine - as Liz says now is the time to prune them, as indeed it is to spray against black spot, if the leaves have broken.

 

Just to be contentious :D

I actually prefer to do 3/4 heavy autumn prune for roses then a light prune and tidy up again in spring. It takes the weight off the dormant rose, gets rid of any dead material and helps control blackspot. It also cuts down on wind rock during the winter.

 

totally agree with Frogesque re rose pruning, I only prune by half in autumn..the end result is the same.
always remember though, take a little off at a time, stand back, take a look, if it looks right then leave well alone, you can't put it back on when it's been removed

 

Depends on how exposed your site is - IMO! If it's very exposed, better to do the heavier prune in autumn because of wind-rock.

 

Basically I mean - I agree with Frogesque and Rossco!! (In case that wasn't too clear!)