| I would like to know how to address the following situation: I had a row of 15 red-stemmed Dogwoods planted, and each one exhibits a pattern of growth that I describe as top-heavy -- 95% of the the leaves are in the upper 3rd of the shrub. They were planted by a landscaper one year ago but the exact variety of Dogwood I don't recall. However, I know it was the species that can grow 8+ feet if growth is not controlled. Anyway, when planted, they were about 6 feet tall already but the majority of the leaf growth was in the upper 3rd of the plant. How much pruning during mid-summmer would be OK to promote more growth at the base and middle of the plant? I want the Dogwoods to not only have leaves on the whole stem, but I really want to encourage many more stems to grow from the base so that the plant is much fuller and wider. All of them are growing very vertical right now with maybe 6-8 primary stems. They all appear to be otherwise healthy, growing in a full sun but very moist area. And finally, is a Root Stimulator and/or Miracle Grow good for encouraging growth of Dogwoods and how often do I apply? And how do I water -- frequent reasonable amounts of water or once per week or every other week give them a very generous amount. I know it depends on amount of natural rain we receive. We live in the Midwest where drought conditions are rare -- so most often watering is merely supplemental or is done when conditions are dry for a week or two. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! This is a GREAT web site. Regards, Charlie |
| If they are very crowded together they may be shading themselves at the base, this can cause a bare-legged effect. (They should be roughly four to six feet apart so sun can reach all parts of each plant.) Otherwise it may be that they have never been pruned at all. The best time to prune these is in late winter to very early spring before they start to grow again for the year. Cut them off short (literally near the ground) to stimulate branching at the base. Or, remove about a third of the stems (take out the oldest, thickest ones) by cutting them at the base. This will stimulate new growth from the roots and from lower on the plant. Every few years you can prune again if desired. This seems drastic but they regrow quickly. If you want to increase the density of your hedge you can actually take your trimmings and poke them firmly down into the soil, just place them upright with the cut end downward and far enough in so they are self supporting. Many of these will root and grow. Watering -- when needed to supplement rain -- is the most important thing you can do to help these shrubs become established. As far as soil moisture, they will tolerate average soil moisture levels but are native to damp to wet areas and so prefer it damp. You can check by digging into the soil with your finger. If it is still wet or moist you do not need to water yet, when it begins to dry you can go ahead and water. When you water, water slowly and deeply so it soaks in to encourage deep rooting. After watering, wait a few hours and then dig down and see how far the water went, sometimes this can be surprising. Keeping them mulched with several inches of organic mulch will help keep the soil more evenly moist and also help feed the soil slowly over time as it breaks down. This is probably the second most important thing after correct watering. As far as fertilizing, the best way to know what to use is to run some basic soil tests and then fertilize as indicated by the results. Your county extension can help you with the tests and interpreting the results. Otherwise, an annual top dressing with a good quality compost and/or an application of granular or slow release 10-10-10 fertilizer per the label instructions is fine. Overfertilizing is no better than underfertilizing and can in fact stimulate overly weak, lank, leggy growth. Keep in mind it takes several years for newly planted shrubs to become established and begin to grow their best. The larger/more mature the plants at planting time the longer the recovery period as well. I think in several years your plants will naturally be big and thick just as you envisioned. |
