Three ways to prune spirea

Sometimes it ’s hard to make the cut , but pruning spirea is a pretty vexation - free job . You wo n’t obliterate a spiraea by pruning it ! ( At the bad , it might not bloom for a class ) . I have three well-off ways to prune them , as well as the best time of year to do it . Check out the steps and helpful illustrations below , and you ’ll be effective to go .

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1. Prune spirea to encourage a rebloom

To get more flowers later into summertime , crop off the expend heads as they fade . If you have only a few to cut , scissors or snipsare fine . Got a lot to do ? Usehedge shears . It wo n’t weigh where you make the cut , just remove as many flower heads as you’re able to . This proficiency work with astilbe , bigleaf hydrangea , hosta and Japanese Astilbe japonica . It wo n’t exploit with garland spirea .

2. Prune to make tight mounds

If you like a dense , integrated look , rationalize just as unexampled leaves pop out to show in saltation . Usehedge clippersto fleece off no more than half of the top ontogenesis . You ’ll get a tight , habit with more , but smaller , flower clusters .

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3. Prune spirea to get big flower clusters

Spirea that ’s not pruned or pruned to the ground each spring has a casual , loose habit . In early spring , before the leaf buds pop to swell , cut off all of the stalk down so they ’re 4 to 6 in . magniloquent . you’re able to usepruning shearsand cut one at a time orhedge clippersand simply cut them all off at once — it draw no remainder . In a few workweek , newfangled increase will sprout , creating a full dense plant that will be about half to two - thirds its full height with lots of anthesis stem .

Double Play Red Spirea: Double Play red spirea is a great low-maintenance garden shrub.

Double Play Red Spirea: Double Play red spirea is a great low-maintenance garden shrub.

Pruning illustration to show how to encourage a rebloom

Pruning illustration to show how to get tight mounds of spirea

Pruning illustration to show how to get bigger flower clusters