When should I prune butterfly bushes in zone 6b?
-
Douglas Hunt on Jan 20, 2012You should prune them in late winter/early spring, just before they start leafing out, Diane. I suspect this would be late February or early March for you. And don't be timid in cutting them back. Pruning them to about a foot high will result in vigorous growth and lots of those wonderful blossoms.Helpful Reply
-
-
Ricardo B on Jan 20, 2012My opinion: Do it anytime, if your willing NOT to prune too severely at any one time and you don't mind losing out of having attractive blooms until the next season. Otherwise, wait until after it finishes blooming and then don't prune off more than 1/3 of it's mass. Here's an interesting experience I had once... At my previous home in Albuquerque, I was forced to transplant an overgrown butterfly bush/tree to make room for expanding my concrete patio. I took as much of the extensive roots as possible and then pruned it severely. It not only survived the move and the pruning but it thrived! The astounding thing is that it was done in July! Sometimes you never know what surprises nature has in store regardless of the mistakes we make of nature's gifts.Helpful Reply
-
Related Discussions
Can I use a small power sander to remove paint from my porch?
Have painted it with outdoor Behr deck paint but it has flaked up. I got a lot of it up but need to get the rest off before repainting. Getting too old to get down ... See more
How do I hang curtain rods if I can't find wall studs?
How can I darken the color of painted furniture using varnish?
Hi, I just paint my outdoor dining set, but the color is a little lighter than what I want. I am planning to apply varnish on them and I was thinking to take advantag... See more
Can a water based varnish be used on chalk paint?
Is it possible to use a water based clear varnish instead of the finishing wax on chalk painted furniture? I love the look of distressed chalk paint but I'd like a sa... See more
I'm trying to hang a curtain rod over a sliding glass door, but keep hitting something that I can't drill through.
The house is built of cement blocks, but there is drywall on the walls. I had another house that was the same type, but never had a problem with hanging curtain rods.... See more
Can I hang a dresser mirror on my bedroom wall?
How to use a mirror from a old dresser can it be hung on a bedroom wall?