Pruning Cotoneaster

[MarkSmith]

Hi folks,

The bottom of my garden is surrounded by what I think is a Cotoneaster hedge. (I'll post a photo when I remember and perhaps someone can confirm.)

It's very very overgrown and straggly and really only loosely resembles a hedge. There's no foliage at all closer than about 100 or 150cm from the fence - it's just long, woody stems up to about 6ft high or possibly even longer and curled over - hard to see. All the leaves are on the "outside".

Question is, can I prune this to regain some semblence of shape? How and when? Can I prune right back to "wood"? Right back to the stem (leader?)? The height is about right at 6ft, but I want it much much closer to the wall.

I can live with a load of dead-looking twigs for a season but don't want to completely kill it. (I wouldn't lose sleep if I did kill it, but keeping it alive would save me replacing it )

Thanks,
Mark

 

[rich22]

Yes mark if its contoniaster you can prune it back hard.
I would wait till november then the sap wont still be rising

 

[MarkSmith]

Thanks Rich. Will it only shoot from the point of the cuts, or will new shoots come out of the long lengths of wood? (Ideally it would be bushy and not too deep. Don't want to chop it at the top and end up with something resembling a lollypop.)

 

[rich22]

what is behind the hedge.
It might take a year or two to fill in .
Can you put a photo on here.

 

[MarkSmith]

Right, here we go. Not brilliant photos but I hope you get the idea. The photos are quite high-res so you should also be able to see whether it really is a coneaster.

Behind it is a wire fence. Not quite sure what's behind that on my neighbour's side - more of the same amongst other things I think. It's all quite overgrown and the fall of the land makes it hard for me to see.

Untitled

• MarkSmith
• 19 Sep 2009
• 1

Untitled

• MarkSmith
• 19 Sep 2009
• 1

 

[rich22]

Hi mark now i see its a lonicera baggesons gold i think.
This plant will respond well and will make a good hedge.
Once you have pruned it hard back cut it about twice a year it will fill in well.
You might have two take some of the height if the stems carnt support the weight.
But cut back the sides first then you will know if the top needs doing.

 

[rich22]

Or lonicera maygreen.

 

[MarkSmith]

Thanks very much Rich. I'll get the hedge trimmers on it then, take it back to the size I want, which will basically remove all the green, and wait for it to fill in.