Optimal time
The indigo bush develops its flowers on this year's wood. This means that the plant will sprout and bloom in the early part of the year after it has been cut. Therefore, only spring pruning is possible for this species. This should take place in the leafless state before the buds are freshly sprouting, so that the plant can then put all its energy into the remaining sleeping eyes. No pruning measures are recommended during winter as the pruning wounds are damaged by frost.
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Care cuts
If you want to keep your indigo shrub small, a generous removal of branches is recommended. Shorten all the branches so that half to a third remain. This corresponds to a remaining height of 30 to 50 centimeters. In this way, enough buds are retained to ensure fresh budding in the next few weeks.
Tips
You can use the cut off plant material for propagating cuttings.
Thin out
With this maintenance measure you concentrate on branches that disturb the overall picture. This includes specimens that grow inward, stand too close together or cross each other. Remove such branches directly at the base, without the Astring to damage. Sick, dead and damaged shoots are also removed.
Cut espalier bushes
Indigo bushes also grow on trellises as an alternative to overgrown climbing plants such as wisteria. To keep these specimens in shape, cut the new shoots that are striving to the side every year. Similar to solitary trees, it is also sufficient here if a few sleeping eyes remain. You can shorten the main drive or move it further up as required.
Radical cuts
If many branches have frozen back during the winter, a radical pruning measure makes sense. Shorten the shoots to ten centimeters above the ground and make sure that some buds remain on the remaining parts of the plant. In the coming growing season, the indigo bush will sprout again vigorously, so that flowering can be expected in the same year.
rejuvenation
Shrubs that have been cut annually also tolerate radical cutting well. If the trees have grown for years without regular cutting, a lot of old wood has formed. This drives out harder, so you should be careful with branch removal. Careful thinning is recommended for specimens that have grown too large and have gotten out of shape. The cutting intensity depends on the growth over the last one to two years.
You can use this as a guide:
- cut longest rods at the base
- Shorten all other branches slightly
- few buds should be left
- do not cut back into the old wood