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Re: Hydrangea quercifolia/shrubs in general



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> From: Gail Lussier <lussier@husc.harvard.edu>
> To: seeds-list@eskimo.com
> Subject: Hydrangea quercifolia/shrubs in general
> Date: April 18, 1997 9:20 AM
> 
> The two Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak-leaf hydrangea) I started from seed
> several years ago are doing well in my yard here in zone 6 and I am
growing
> more this year. My question is about pinching-back shrubs. My 2 year old
> quercifolia are currently single stem plants. Is pinching out the growing
> tip a good idea? How do shrubs get bushy? I imagine the answer to these
> questions starts with "it depends...".

Dear Gail,

	In the nursery where I used to work we would routinely pinch back shrubs
that had not branched out by their second year. its not really necessary  -
it just made the plants more saleable.  Most shrubs will start to put out
new basal shoots in their second or third year anyway. (This is why they
remain shrubs, and not trees!) To encourage older shrubs to put out new
growth, prune out the oldest (thickest) stems at ground level. 
	Bernadette
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