Trimming Weigela - Tips For Pruning Weigela Bushes

You can cut back any one branch of the weigela by one-third each season if you are looking to control size. Also, make sure that when you prune weigela branches that you cut them back to a point where two branches meet. When trimming weigelas, you can use either hand trimmers or hedge clippers.

1. How hard can I prune weigela?
2. Should weigela be cut back in the fall?
3. When should I cut back weigela?
4. Can you cut weigela to the ground?
5. How do you care for a weigela bush?
6. How do you winterize weigela?
7. Can you keep weigela small?
8. Why is my weigela not blooming?
9. What can I plant next to weigela?
10. Can you trim weigela in winter?
11. How fast do weigela grow?
12. How do you prune an overgrown forsythia?
13. When should lilacs be cut back?
14. Is weigela a perennial?
15. Can a severe pruning kill a weigela shrub?
16. Can weigela take full sun?
17. Is weigela toxic to dogs?

How hard can I prune weigela?

You can cut back as much growth as you want but as a standard, 1/3 off is usually enough. I recently inherited a huge straggly Weigela and trimmed it down to about 25% of its original size. This year, it has gone crazy with plenty of flowers and lush growth.

Should weigela be cut back in the fall?

Although summer pruning is best for weigelas because of their standard bloom time, fall pruning in November isn't going to kill your weigela, especially if you live in a mild climate. You won't get a flush of new blooms in spring and summer because a fall pruning will remove all buds.

When should I cut back weigela?

The best time to prune it is right after it's done flowering, which is late May into early June. It's not too late to prune it now, but I wouldn't wait much longer because the plant will begin producing flower buds for next year shortly. You can really whack weigelas back if necessary.

Can you cut weigela to the ground?

You may need to take drastic measures to bring the plant back. In this case, you can try trimming the weigela back to the ground. Remove all branches to about 4 inches (10 cm.) ... If you do this kind of drastic pruning, it may take the weigela a year before it starts to bloom again.

How do you care for a weigela bush?

To help your weigela thrive, plant it in moist soil that drains well. Add plenty of compost or composted manure to the planting bed to help enrich soil and improve drainage. Weigela adapts fairly well to any soil, although you'll see strongest growth and flowering on plants in ideal conditions.

How do you winterize weigela?

Mulch around the base of your weigela with an organic material laid down in at least a 3-inch-thick blanket. Use pine straw, leaf mold or shredded bark to insulate the roots from cold and drought. Reapply a fresh layer each year in the fall as winter approaches.

Can you keep weigela small?

Weigela (Weigela florida) is an old-fashioned, deciduous shrub distinguished by its loose, round form and its white, pink or red trumpets that appear in spring. ... To keep your plant smaller than its natural size, give it a trim every spring, right after the flowers fade.

Why is my weigela not blooming?

Light Needs. Sufficient direct sunlight is essential for variegated weigela to produce bountiful blossoms. To maximize its late-spring profusion of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers, the planting site should provide full sun. The shrub should receive, at minimum, six hours of direct, full sunlight each day.

What can I plant next to weigela?

Companion Plants for a Weigela

• Peonies (Paeonia sp.) Peonies make excellent companion plants to dwarf varieties of weigelas, according to Monrovia. ...
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea sp.) Hydrangeas are very similar to weigelas. ...
• Barberry (Berberis sp.) ...
• Delphinium (Delphinium sp.)

Can you trim weigela in winter?

If your weigela has gone without maintenance for years, more drastic measures may be in order. Fortunately, weigelas respond well to extensive pruning done in late winter while the plant is dormant. Radical rejuvenation entails cutting the entire plant back to about 10 inches high.

How fast do weigela grow?

Weigela has a round, mounded growth habit and flowers mid-May into June. Flowers are rather tubular in form, in small clusters. Weigela will sometimes throw off a few flowers on and off all summer, up until frost. Growth rate is moderate: 12–24″ per year depending upon conditions.

How do you prune an overgrown forsythia?

An overgrown forsythia can be pruned in a couple of ways. One option is to remove a third of the oldest branches shortly after flowering in the first year, followed by half in the second year and the remainder in the third year.

When should lilacs be cut back?

To facilitate rapid healing of cut surfaces, prune these in late summer or early autumn instead. Deciduous magnolias are also pruned in late summer to reduce risk of dieback. Deciduous azaleas and lilac (Syringa) should be pruned immediately after flowering.

Is weigela a perennial?

If you need a shrub that blooms early then earns its keep in a perennial border or foundation planting due to attractive foliage, give weigela a closer look. Here are a few of our favorites.

Can a severe pruning kill a weigela shrub?

Over-pruning a weigela plant can weaken or even kill it. Never prune more than 1/3rd of the entire plant in a single season. If you need to remove a lot of growth, do it gradually over the course of several seasons.

Can weigela take full sun?

Exposure: Plants will bloom most prolifically in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade. Varieties with gold, chartreuse or purple foliage will hold their color better in full sun. Those with variegated foliage can burn with too much afternoon sun in hotter climates.

Is weigela toxic to dogs?

The leaves of the variegated weigela plant are not poisonous to animals. Neither are its flowers or the small, inch-long fruit it produces. The only nuisance weigela plants present is their frequent need to be cut back in order to maintain shape and encourage bloom production.