Any serious gardeners? When can I prune a rhododendron bush?

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Sep 20, 2014
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I find conflicting advice on the internet. We have this rhododendron that has creeped into the driveway quite a bit. I meant to trim it early spring; I had a serious back injury that kept me from doing all the things I planned the last few months.

The quick google hits say to do it in the winter in the dormant period. But then I found this old article from the journal of the American Rhododendron society that says doing it AFTER blooming is standard. Anybody have some helpful advice, or know where I should go for good, reliable advice?

This was the ARS article I was referencing:


Thanks for any help.

IMG-3634.jpg
 
Best time for trimming is immediately after blooming to give it maximum time to regenerate new foliage and set blooms for next year. To minimize trauma to the bush don't cut back limbs more than 1/3 of length.

OK!

Thanks for the advice. It matches what he said in the article and makes the most sense to me of the various opinions I've read.
 
those things are huge. i cut mine to the almost the ground every few years and they come back fast. if you prune them you will stimulate them the grow faster.

i cut mine down in the late spring
 
those things are huge. i cut mine to the almost the ground every few years and they come back fast. if you prune them you will stimulate them the grow faster.

i cut mine down in the late spring
This, Have you ever tried to kill one. They are like Forsythia, you can cut them to the ground, run over them with the mower and hit whats left with an ax and they come right back next spring. Or maybe mine was a zombie plant.
 
The one in your photo is very nice. We have 23 of them.

You trim them right after they bloom in the spring, before they set buds for the next year.

One of our neighbours cut their rhodos right down and 18 months later there is little to see.
 
Another vote for pruning after flowering. Some of mine are in flower now so I will be pruning the ones that need it soon.

I've never pruned them really hard back but I've seen them recover from the base after looking like they had been killed off by a very severe drought. Being shallow rooted they are among the first things I water in a dry spell.
 
I appreciate all the advice. We will trim it carefully after the blooms fall.

It really is lovely, but I need to reclaim some driveway space. Also it will give me the chance to even out the shape for the first time in several years.
 
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