Re: Rhodies
- To:
- Subject: Re: Rhodies
- From: M* T*
- Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 03:28:06 -0500
FWIW, what I've noticed over the years is that if you just prune one branch
back to really old wood, the branch likely to just die on you instead of
leafing out, but if you hat rack or otherwise hard prune a whole plant, it
will likely recover.
My totally unscientific theory on this is that, in the case of one branch,
the plant has other fully leafed branches to photosynthesize (did I spell
that right?) with and just abandons the pruned branch; whereas, if you hard
prune the whole thing, it either has to put out new growth from old wood or
die - and plants want to live.
Anybody else noticed this behavior?
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
current article: Wintering Plants in Pots
http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
----------
> From: Wyn Achenbaum <wyn@ibm.net>
> Date: Thursday, November 12, 1998 10:13 AM
>
> In a fit of letting-light-into-the-living room, I "bonsaied" an old
> June-blooming rhody (10' tall, down to about 4') around Memorial Day
1997.
> It has come back wonderfully, and even had 2 or 3 blooms in 1998. No
> regrets! In fact, it is beginning to block the light again! From the
> back, one can see that the trunks are quite a bit thicker than the size
of
> the plant would suggest otherwise, but it looks fine from the front. I
> don't fertilize at all.
>
> At 12:50 PM 11/11/98 -0600, you wrote:
> >I've noticed my rhododendron this fall has developed a number of yellow
> >leaves, but they are not dropping. They are the oldest leaves on the
> >branches. If it were chlorosis, the leaves would have green veins,
> >wouldn't they? (or is that just roses?) Is this normal or should I be
> >doing something?
> >
> >Also, has anyone actually severely pruned a too-large rhododendron like
> >some books say you can? Do they come back pretty, or do they always look
> >a little awkward?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Mary in Missouri, zone 6
>
>
> Wyn Achenbaum
> Stamford, CT, 10 miles from Long Island Sound
> Zone 6
>
> w*@ibm.net
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE WOODYPLANTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE WOODYPLANTS
