Stooling

In a message dated 8/2/01 8:29:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
eoneill@attglobal.net writes:

<< What do you and Marilyn mean by "stooling?" Does it work on all types of
 hydrangea, i.e., those that bloom on either old or new growth?
 
 Gerry >>

Stooling is a pruning technique used for various purposes.  You raise a shrub 
to a  reasonably healthy state and while still young you cut off the entire 
shrub to just above the ground. Spring is the time here as we never know what 
is alive until we see a few swelling buds.  If you can do it in the fall in 
warmer places someone else will have to contribute that information.

The shrub will send up young fairly straight shoots and since it is starting 
all over it will remain low.  The Hydrangea paniculata cv's all bloom late in 
the summer on new wood so stooling is ideal for this shrub if a late blooming 
plant is wanted in a perennial garden.  You can thin the buds to get some 
large blossoms or leave them as is and get a bunch of smaller blossoms.   You 
can also clip the shrub to any size wanted in the garden.  The stooling 
techinique should not be used on plants that bloom on old wood unless it is 
foliage you are after.  Hydrangea arborescens (Annabelle) does not work well 
with technique as it is a summer and often and early sumer bloomer.

This is a technique used years back ( read Gertrude Jekyll ) with various 
hardwoods to produce tall straight poles for the gardens.  Basket weavers 
also maintain stooled plants to constantly have a supply of young pliable and 
very straight material.  

If you have done this to a hydrangea for a number of years, ten or so, you 
might want to start over with a new plant.  That is easy as hydrangea is 
rooted very easily on half hard wood in a shady area or a cold frame in 
midsummer.  Such a plant needs to be fertilized as it is asked to do a lot 
more work than one that is left alone to grow naturally.  I have not used any 
new plants, I just keep whacking off the older ones and it keeps them under 
three feet and all bloom.

I know cotinus works well providing in a sunny perennial garden,  a great 
mass of purple foliage each year for very little trouble.   Cotinus can also 
be rooted by the home gardener.  Purple leaved cotinus will occasionally 
freeze to death here so I have to buy a new one now and then.

I have not tried with any others. Maybe you could use spring or summer 
bloomers but if flowers are wanted they would have to bloom on new wood.  
Doesn't hurt to try new things.

I grew the fantail willow for years and did not know that this plant would 
not produce the shaped and contorted wood wanted unless also whacked off to 
the ground each year.  Now that I know this, I have lots of plant supports of 
all sorts, curved and rounded shapes.  This plant has it's own individual 
virus and without the stooling or near stooling the virus does not produce 
curled and rounded branches.  Finally someone told me the secret and I now 
grow it successfully.

Claire Peplowski 
NYS z4


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