Pruning 'Midnight Wine' Weigela

User

18 years ago

Do I need to prune my "midnight wine" weigela now or in the spring or at all? Thank you.

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Comments (9)

PVick
18 years ago
A little late, but I had the same question.

I don't suppose you really have to prune it at all, but the best time to do it is after it blooms - as soon as the flowers fade, since they bloom on last year's growth.

If you haven't done it yet, you could probably still prune it now - just be careful of the buds.

PV

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Spring-Flowering Plants
posiegirl
18 years ago
PVick, did you get a Midnight Wine? I just bought one! Are they really tiny??

Judith
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Even here in our duller than normal for the country area purple-leaved Weigela, like purple-leaved Japanese maples, filberts etc. often fade and get crispy over summer unless planting spot is optimal. If these specimens are new to your garden it is possible the one is having problems with the original potting soil root-ball shedding water to the soil around it. Or maybe it is even having a problem with too much moisture, the resulting deterioration of the roots causing the top to have problems getting enough moisture. Otherwise, maybe there is enough of a difference in exposure between the two sides of the entry to account for it. Here, where we have rainless periods with reduced humidity in mid-summer, purple-leaved forms located in sites that heat up at that time are the ones that fade. I've actually seen a purple-leaved Japanese maple looking good on one small lot with a faded out one right next door. The first place had a lush green lawn, the second a dried up one. The trees were of similar size and shape, perhaps even the same grafted cultivar or seed strain.
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Midnight Wine would rarely need pruning for size, it's a very small shrub by itself. In my garden it's 1x2' after 4 years. To promote branching you may LIGHTLY (realy lightly!) prune it back right after the flowering.
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If you have this plant, lets make a trade. davidmooc@yahoo.com
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PVick
18 years ago
Judith - actually, mine is 'Wine and Roses'- that's supposed to be a potential 4-5 footer. I got it as a 6-incher in 2004, and it's now about 18" tall and wide. And the flowers are fragrant, even to my dead schnozz.

I'm curious as to whether 'Midnight Wine' is a true dwarf.

Keep us posted on yours.

PV
jenny_in_se_pa
18 years ago
PV - I never even attempted to check the Wine and Roses for fragrance. I'll try to remember to do that when it blooms.

I'm also interested in how Midnight Wine grows. All the pictures I've seen of it in a landscape have it no more than about 1ft - 2ft tall, but then I guess some of that could be from heading it back a little to shape it.
PVick
18 years ago
Hey Jenny! A bit off the topic, but my third year lilac 'Sensation' is getting ready to bloom! I am SO psyched!

PV
jenny_in_se_pa
18 years ago
A Woot woot for you PV! :-D I noticed my lilacs (which are later bloomers) have their flower buds expanding and they may end up blooming earlier than usual this year. Haven't had chance to check on them the past couple days but I can't wait either!
wendra
16 years ago
Should I cut off old blooms (like a lilac) on my year old weigela?
PVick
16 years ago
wendra - I don't cut the old blooms off my weigelas, just let them fall off by themselves. My 'Wine and Roses' will give a little re-bloom in the fall; the other one I have - 'Aurea' - is a second-year plant and hasn't bloomed too wonderfully yet, but it's growing nicely.

Don't know if that's the correct way to do it, but it works for me.

PV
jenny_in_se_pa
16 years ago
Like PV, I let the blooms fall off on their own. I've never had any problem with doing that and since they produce so many flowers along the branches, it would be laborious to try to dead head them.

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Pruning 'Midnight Wine' Weigela

Comments (9)

PVick

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