Bridal wreath spirea is a popular deciduous shrub that produces cascading white flowers during the spring season. While it can grow up to 8 feet tall and wide, it requires regular pruning to maintain its size and shape. Pruning may sound intimidating, but it’s an essential task that will help your bridal wreath spirea look neat, healthy, and vibrant.
In this blog post, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to prune bridal wreath spirea effectively.
When should you prune?
The ideal time for pruning bridal wreath spirea is in late winter or early spring before new growth appears. You can also prune after blooming if you want to reduce its height or remove any deadwood.
What tools do you need?
Before getting started with pruning your bridal wreath spirea, make sure you have the right tools on hand:
– Pair of sharp bypass pruners
– Loppers (for thicker branches)
– Gardening gloves
– Safety goggles
Make sure your tools are clean and sanitized before use to prevent any spread of diseases.
How do you prune?
Step 1: Remove diseased or damaged wood
Start by inspecting the shrub for signs of disease or damage. Any dead or diseased branches should be removed first and disposed of properly. Cut back these branches as close as possible to the base using a pair of bypass pruners.
Step 2: Thin out old wood
Next, thin out old wood by cutting one-third of it back all the way into the main stem using loppers. This encourages fresh growth from below which helps keep your plant looking full and healthy.
Step 3: Reduce height
If your bridal wreath spirea has grown too tall over time, then cut back some stems at varying heights until they reach just above where new growth emerges from last year’s stems.
Step 4: Shape the plant
Once you have removed all diseased and damaged wood, thinned out old wood, and reduced height, it’s time to shape your shrub. To achieve this, choose a few of the oldest stems from each branch and cut them back to around half their length using bypass pruners. This encourages new growth while maintaining its natural shape.
Step 5: Clean up
Finally, remove any debris or clippings lying on the ground to prevent diseases from spreading in your garden.
Conclusion:
Pruning bridal wreath spirea is essential for its health and maintenance. Remember that pruning must be done at the right time using proper tools with safety precautions in place. By following our step-by-step guide above on how to prune bridal wreath spirea effectively, you can keep your shrub looking neat, healthy and vibrant year after year!
