\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Space spirea plants 2 to 15 feet apart, depending on the expected mature width of the plant and the application. Water thoroughly to settle the soil. Use your shears or hedge trimmer to cut back the shrub to . Prune summer blooming spirea bushes during the winter or in the spring. Their long-lasting blooms and ability to serve a variety of landscape functions from mass plantings and perennial borders to groundcovers and informal hedges have made them a staple in gardens of all sizes. Thank you to the writers - much appreciated. In addition to removal and replacement, you can also control invasive plant species with brush control strategies in the winter months. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Then, remove some branches from the middle of the plant to thin it out. With The Clearest Explanation. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Try to pull the stems up. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Extremely cold hardy and heat tolerant. Make an angled cut just above an outward-facing bud to trim a branch or close (within inch) to the main stem if removing an entire branch. Find locations near you that offer Proven Winners products. Bush honeysuckle, pictured above, represents one of the many invasive plants found in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Get planting advice, garden design tips and trends, monthly checklists for your area, product specials and more in our weekly newsletter. Combine gold foliaged varieties with complimentary colored plants such as: For continuous bloom throughout the growing season, grow spirea with other shrubs that bloom at different times, such as: 2023 Proven Winners North America LLC. Cut back all remaining stems to one to two feet above the soil line. Trimming the plant after blooming allows the plant to refocus its energy. Remove the stems and leaves. In spring, the leaves are bronze-red, shifting to bright yellow-green in the summer and rich coppery orange in the fall. COPYRIGHT 2023 ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Aronia melanocarpa. As with all border shrubs, a spring mulch of well-rotted organic matter will keep the soil - and therefore the plant - in good condition. And if you find that an annual prune and deadheading arent enough to keep summer-flowering shrubs in check, trim and shape at any time after flowering to restore order. Most are hardy to zone 3 and 4. Use leverage. Fall - Complete a severe prune of the shrub. Double Play Gold, an improved form of Goldmound and Goldflame, has brighter yellow foliage, a more compact habit and more profuse flowering. Plants can take light shade, with spring bloomers more shade tolerant than summer bloomers. We welcome your comments and And most put on a pretty autumn show as well when leaves turn deep shades of burgundy, copper, orange, scarlet, and purple. In fall, the finely serrated green leaves turn shades of yellow, red, and orange. Prune the spring-flowering bridal wreath right after blooming. White flowers appear in early to midsummer, but this spirea is at its most colorful in autumn, when the dark green, birch-like leaves turn rich shades of red, orange, and purple. Photo by: Erika Kirkpatrick / Shutterstock.com. These are best cut back when theyre still dormant, typically in late winter to early spring depending on your region. Choose a sunny area in fertile, well-drained soil. The first method, commonly used for many perennials, is to dig up the entire plant, split the root ball down the middle and replant both sections as. The shrub can be shaped to make it look like a tree. Novice and experienced gardeners alike love spirea bushes (Spiraea) for their eye-catching beauty, fast growth rate, hardiness, and ease of care. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Bright yellow new foliage fades to chartreuse, setting off snow-white flowers that bloom in spring. Adding mulch around the plant will help retain moisture and regular summer watering will promote healthy blooms and growth. Check the hydrangea often, looking for branches that are splintered or rotting. You should also add around two inches of compost, leaf mold or well-rotted manure around your spirea to act as a mulch. home improvement and repair website. Backfill the hole with soil and tamp down slightly to remove air pockets. How to get rid of Spiraea japonica Invasive species adversely affect the environment. You may freely link The first is to keep it healthy. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This can be an overwhelming task with a large spirea bush and not really necessary. A few simple steps are all you need to get a perfect result every time: Step 1: Dig a hole 1-2 inches deeper than the pot, and twice the width. Cultivating and designing the ideal garden spot is one of her favorite activities especially for gathering with family and friends for good times and good food (straight from the garden, of course)! Set the plant into the hole with the top of the root ball at soil level or slightly above. Use hedge shears. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. All Rights Reserved. The spirea shrub does best when planted in full sun or light shade. Any spindly or weak, dead, diseased or damaged stems should be cut right back to the base of the stem. Keeping it wet helps prevent stress and prevents the plant from going into shock when its divided. Feature a larger variety as a dramatic stand-alone specimen, Plant in a row as a privacy screen along a property line, Use smaller to medium varieties to divide garden rooms, Incorporate a medium to large type as a background plant in a cottage-style or mixed border, Use any size or type to accentuate a woodland setting, Combine in a foundation planting along with other shrubs, Smaller specimens can be planted in containers. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. And cut freely because its almost impossible to take too much wood if you follow the instructions outlined above! Similar to the Little Princess Spirea shrub, its leaves will also turn a deep shade of crimson in autumn. The Grumpy Gardener says that late winter "is the best time to prune a crepe myrtle because it's leafless and you can easily see all of the branches. [8] You'll also get more plants by doing this. Removal of dead or excess branches allows sunlight better penetration to the interior and lower branches. The Indian Hawthorne is a no-fuss small and slow . Spireas are also attractive additions to butterfly and cottage gardens. View our Privacy Policy here. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. But it is more correctly known as a shrub because its woody branches persist above ground all year round, and in spring, the new growth emerges not from the ground but on those branches. Discover the right shrubs for your garden. Giving spireas another lighter pruning after they bloom in spring or early summer will promote new blooms and reinvigorate foliage growth. Align them around the edges. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Spacing: Japanese spirea blooms on new wood. These similarities are often as far as it goes when it comes to the genus. However, they are related to roses and can be susceptible to the same pests and diseases as roses, such as leaf spot, powdery mildew and aphids. A blast of water from the garden hose usually works to dislodge aphids. All information is provided "AS IS." This can help remove non-native plants, while maintaining beneficial areas like pollinator gardens. Well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soil (pH 6 to 7). This is great news for designers and gardeners looking for variety in their landscapes. "The article was SO helpful. Here are some suggestions. Make sure soil is well-draining. And both categories will also enjoy a light shear after flowering to remove spent blooms, encourage reblooming, and invigorate foliage. Make sure the buds are pointed up. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. Space plants 6-10 feet apart, depending on the variety. Cut straight across the shrubs top above the rope. The day before dividing the spirea, prepare a hole for the new section. RELATED: Dig around to find the roots and cut them back. Replant the root sections and youll have new, vigorous growth when the plant re-emerges in the spring. Its a common complaint, however, that these small shrubs start to look ugly after a season or two. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Japanese spirea has good deer resistance. Spring blooming shrubs like lilac and forsythia can be pruned just after blooming. Super tolerant of harsh conditions - salt, drought, heat, and heavy moisture. 1/2 in. Japanese spirea benefits from a hard prune in late winter or early spring, as well as a light pruning to remove the spent flowers and encourage it to bloom a second time in late summer. How to Plant Spirea. Then remove half of the older and thicker stems to ground level. This is back breaking work and it's unlikely you'll be able to dig around and through a well established root system. Growing no taller than waist level, this elegant white-flowering spirea takes the cake over its taller cousin Snowmound, maintaining a neat, rounded shape well suited for smaller gardens, especially as a hedge plant or dramatic focal point. Each is deciduous, mostly with narrow, oval-shaped leaves called lanceolate. I'll wait another week or two and trim. Water both plants well after the move is complete. Dig around the outside of this section to expose the root ball, and use a flat spade to divide the roots from the rest of the plant. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Clip these off as you find them in order to keep your plant healthy. To keep your plants in top form, join us now for a look at how to prune spirea for sumptuous shrubs. By lifting the other end of the pry bar you will increase your pulling power. If you wish, you can trim after the flowers fade, which will encourage colorful new growth. Most are hardy from zones 4-8, but some varieties are more heat and cold tolerant. Water thoroughly to settle the soil. A cloudy overcast day is a good time for dividing plants as the roots dry out too much in sunny hot weather once they are exposed above ground. Cut the branches back to a desired height and shape, removing no more than one-third of the branches. Spirea bush. Using something like a spade or saw, cut the root crown into quarters. Glow Girl birchleaf spirea, a gold-leafed version of Tor, is an exceptionally hardy compact variety suited to northern regions. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 65,681 times. Deep red foliage emerges in early spring, followed by purple-red flowers in late spring. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Once planted, the care of spirea requires a minimal time investment. Reapply each spring. Try to cut each stem back so that it has around 5 buds left on it. Shrubs that can tolerate rejuvenation pruning are butterfly bush, Annabelle hydrangea, potentilla, and Japanese spirea. to 2 m.) tall. The giant clusters of pure pink blooms appear in late spring, creating a dazzling contrast with the yellow foliage. You'll apply hundreds of pounds of . 1. The Spiraea genus as a whole has a few distinct identifying physical features. Spiraea are deciduous shrubs, sometimes suckering, with simple leaves and short racemes, panicles or corymbs of small, 5-petalled white or pink flowers in spring or summer Name status Accepted Advertise here How to grow Cultivation Easy to grow in most moist soils, tolerant of all but the most extreme conditions Propagation Maintain the vertical orientation of the stem (do not insert the cuttings upside down). Copyright Here is more about what we do. Adding to its eye-candy appeal are dark purple flowers that appear in late spring. let's find out how good the Milwaukee M18 fuel sawzall performs when removing shrubs and bushes.Milwaukee Tool Youtube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLub0_q7i2mDQL7wIyX8jXJMedDfkZVSfgStanley Genadek Milwaukee Tool Expo:https://youtu.be/s_fPnYHezB4@milwaukeetool #milwaukeetool #landscaping #sawzallWe do a lot of landscaping and shrub trimming in ornamental tree trimming and I'm convinced that these new hedge trimmers from Milwaukee tool are going to permanently replace our gas powered hedge shears for normal everyday use----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click Here To Get Access to All The Resources I Use to run my Businesshttps://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Spirea shrubs respond well to pruning. Thanks so much. Giving you three seasons of show-stopping color and extra-large pink blooms, this spirea truly creates a big bang wherever its planted. Spring-blooming spirea features an elegantly cascading habit with prolific clusters of white blooms atop bowing branches. Mulch to keep the soil consistently moist. Place the plant in the hole and backfill with the excavated soil. All varieties will lose their foliage in winter, even in milder climates. Harvesting. These days, her vegetable garden is smaller to make room for decorative landscapes filled with color, fragrance, art, and hidden treasures. You should actually prune your spirea more than once a year, at least twice. You might be able to loosen the roots by heaving the stems backward and forward. After the foliage begins to fall off, cut off the lower stems to shape the shrub and keep a compact shape. 1. In a large garden, along a tall shrub border, place a few mounding spireas as an edging. This will help retain moisture in the soil over the hotter months, keep the weeds down and, later, protect the roots from the cold as the cooler weather draws in. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Prune-Spirea-Shrubs-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Spirea-Shrubs-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Prune-Spirea-Shrubs-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid4911745-v4-728px-Prune-Spirea-Shrubs-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"