When and how do you do it?

Topiary at the end of June

At a young age, skilled gardeners let the Kolkwitzia grow uncut. The reward for this foresight is an opulent, romantic silhouette with elegantly overhanging, flower-rich shoots. Only when the ornamental wood with a height and width of up to 4 meters exceeds the available space, a topiary curbs growth. How to Properly Prune Your Mother-of-Pearl Bush:

• The best time is at the end of June / beginning of July, after the flowering period has ended
• Cut excessively long shoots back into the desired shrub shape
• Make each cut 3-5 mm above one eye, a bud or a young runner

The summer topiary focuses on this year's growth and takes place in good time before the new flower buds are planted. Only plan the pruning measure if necessary, because precautions against progressive baldness take place during the leaf-free period.

Young Kolkwitzia rods

Young Kolkwitzia often tend to grow more in width than in height and resemble a ground cover. You point the growth in the desired upright direction by stabbing the shrub. To do this, tie all the shoots loosely around a bamboo stick with a wide ribbon. As the lignification progresses, the shoots gain stability, so that the ribbon and rod can be removed.

Thin out every 2 years in winter

Nature lovers among the hobby gardeners ignore recommendations to light the Kolkwitzia in connection with a summery topiary. Everyone Clearance cut has profound effects on the flowering trees, which are prohibited during the legal grace period. According to Federal Nature Conservation Act the time window for thinning bushes is open from 1. October to 28. February. By following this pattern, the next flowering period will not suffer any significant losses:

• In the first step, saw off dead, bare ground shoots at the base
• If there is no dead wood, cut off two to four of the oldest scaffolding shoots at ground level
• Select vital young shoots as substitutes and leave to stand
• Remove remaining ground shoots with weak growth

If you have any doubts about the age of a ground shoot, take a look at the color and texture of the bark. Young wood of a Kolkwitzia is reddish green to light brown and hairy. You can recognize old wood by its dark brown, rough bark. To see if a shoot is alive or dead, scrape off a little bark. If green tissue appears, it is not dead wood. Brown, dry tissue reveals the drive as lifeless.