We have some large, old Rhododendrons that we inherited when we moved
here about 5 years ago. They're in a darkish area and have grown very
leggy, presumably in search of light, so need some management. I know
nothing about pruning Rhodos and don't want to risk damaging the
spectacular show when they're in flower (albeit for a short time!)
Do we have any Rhodo experts here who can give advice?

On Wed, 20 Jul 2022 23:13:05 +0100, nothanks@aolbin.com wrote:

>We have some large, old Rhododendrons that we inherited when we moved
>here about 5 years ago. They're in a darkish area and have grown very
>leggy, presumably in search of light, so need some management. I know
>nothing about pruning Rhodos and don't want to risk damaging the
>spectacular show when they're in flower (albeit for a short time!)
>Do we have any Rhodo experts here who can give advice?

Difficult to be absolute, but many rhodos will take hard pruning and
re-shoot from stumps. A few will just die. Do you by any chance happen
to know what varieties they are? Have you any pictures you could post
(not directly here but on an image-hosting site such as
https://imgbb.com/ with a link posted here). If you prune it now,
there's a real chance it won't flower next year, because they set
their flower buds in late summer and you'll have cut them all off.
Leave well alone until after it's flowered next year.

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.

On 21/07/2022 00:13, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Jul 2022 23:13:05 +0100, nothanks@aolbin.com wrote:
>
>> We have some large, old Rhododendrons that we inherited when we moved
>> here about 5 years ago. They're in a darkish area and have grown very
>> leggy, presumably in search of light, so need some management. I know
>> nothing about pruning Rhodos and don't want to risk damaging the
>> spectacular show when they're in flower (albeit for a short time!)
>> Do we have any Rhodo experts here who can give advice?
>
> Difficult to be absolute, but many rhodos will take hard pruning and
> re-shoot from stumps. A few will just die. Do you by any chance happen
> to know what varieties they are? Have you any pictures you could post
> (not directly here but on an image-hosting site such as
> https://imgbb.com/ with a link posted here). If you prune it now,
> there's a real chance it won't flower next year, because they set
> their flower buds in late summer and you'll have cut them all off.
> Leave well alone until after it's flowered next year.
>
Chris is correct. There seems to be a very narrow window of opportunity
to prune them and still get flowers the following year. We never seem to
get it right. With really big and very old plants you will find some
people recommend taking a chainsaw to them - don't listen!

On 21/07/2022 09:07, tahiri wrote:

> Chris is correct. There seems to be a very narrow window of opportunity
> to prune them and still get flowers the following year. We never seem to
> get it right. With really big and very old plants you will find some
> people recommend taking a chainsaw to them - don't listen!

Across the road from me is a big old house, formerly the home of the
local laird. The very long drive was lined with old rhododendrons, which
were so overgrown that it was difficult to get up the drive. They were
severely chainsawed and looked dreadful for a year or two, but look
lovely now - and it's possible to get up the drive again.

On 21/07/2022 00:13, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Jul 2022 23:13:05 +0100, nothanks@aolbin.com wrote:
>
>> We have some large, old Rhododendrons that we inherited when we moved
>> here about 5 years ago. They're in a darkish area and have grown very
>> leggy, presumably in search of light, so need some management. I know
>> nothing about pruning Rhodos and don't want to risk damaging the
>> spectacular show when they're in flower (albeit for a short time!)
>> Do we have any Rhodo experts here who can give advice?
>
> Difficult to be absolute, but many rhodos will take hard pruning and
> re-shoot from stumps. A few will just die. Do you by any chance happen
> to know what varieties they are? Have you any pictures you could post
> (not directly here but on an image-hosting site such as
> https://imgbb.com/ with a link posted here).
Here's a photo from earlier this year showing a part of them when they
were slightly past their best, but I suspect an ID needs some more
detailed pics: https://ibb.co/PY0h98g.

If you prune it now,
> there's a real chance it won't flower next year, because they set
> their flower buds in late summer and you'll have cut them all off.
> Leave well alone until after it's flowered next year.
>
I'm confused by this advice ... it's not that long since they stopped
flowering, and we haven't reached "late summer" yet. Do you mean they
should be pruned *immediately* after the end of flowering? (I usually
try to hid my ignorance, but when it comes to this sort of thing there's
too much to hide ;-) )

On Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:38:57 +0100, nothanks@aolbin.com wrote:

>On 21/07/2022 00:13, Chris Hogg wrote:
>> On Wed, 20 Jul 2022 23:13:05 +0100, nothanks@aolbin.com wrote:
>>
>>> We have some large, old Rhododendrons that we inherited when we moved
>>> here about 5 years ago. They're in a darkish area and have grown very
>>> leggy, presumably in search of light, so need some management. I know
>>> nothing about pruning Rhodos and don't want to risk damaging the
>>> spectacular show when they're in flower (albeit for a short time!)
>>> Do we have any Rhodo experts here who can give advice?
>>
>> Difficult to be absolute, but many rhodos will take hard pruning and
>> re-shoot from stumps. A few will just die. Do you by any chance happen
>> to know what varieties they are? Have you any pictures you could post
>> (not directly here but on an image-hosting site such as
>> https://imgbb.com/ with a link posted here).
>Here's a photo from earlier this year showing a part of them when they
>were slightly past their best, but I suspect an ID needs some more
>detailed pics: https://ibb.co/PY0h98g.

Yes, it's not possible to identify them from the picture, although the
taller one on the right could well be a straightforward R. Ponticum.
The pink one in your picture may be an old 'hardy hybrid' with
ponticum in its parentage. In the past, rhodies were often grafted
onto R. Ponticum rootstock as a way of rapidly increasing stocks for
sale. The rootstock then outgrew the graft and the latter died away,
leaving only the Ponticum. But they are impressive. It would be a
shame to prune them too hard. Couldn't you just cut them back where
they overhang the side-gate?
>
>If you prune it now,
>> there's a real chance it won't flower next year, because they set
>> their flower buds in late summer and you'll have cut them all off.
>> Leave well alone until after it's flowered next year.
>>
>I'm confused by this advice ... it's not that long since they stopped
>flowering, and we haven't reached "late summer" yet. Do you mean they
>should be pruned *immediately* after the end of flowering? (I usually
>try to hid my ignorance, but when it comes to this sort of thing there's
>too much to hide ;-) )
>
By late summer I mean July - August, but it's subjective. The rhodos
in my garden are well into setting their flower buds by now. When a
rhodo stops flowering, there's a period when it sends out new shoots,
followed by flower-bud formation on the ends of those shoots. Most
rhodos are spring-flowering, although R. Ponticum is a little later,
say early summer. If you prune them now, there probably won't be
enough time for new shoots to grow and flower-buds to form before
colder weather sets in and growth slows up or stops, hence the advice
to wait until next year. But if you've set your mind to it, do it when
you're in the mood, but be prepared for the consequences.

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.