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How to get fuller spirea?

last year

I dont know what kind of spirea these are but i read about pruning them back in the eand of winter so its what I’ve been doing. However they don’t look full and the branches droop. I feel like all the other spirea is see around don’t have this problem, though maybe its just the kind that I have? I’m in zone 7a and this area gets sun from early afternoon to evening.

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Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
if you want them fuller.. why do you keep cutting them back severely??

and what do you mean by fuller???

do you fert them ... this is a plant that never needs fert.. excess fert might make them droopy ...

the junipers have juniper tip blight.. may as well get rid of them.. as they are getting ugly ...

and if you do.. maybe it time for a total redo.. and get rid of S for no other reason than you dont like them ...

ken
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
last year
last modified: last year
There are about a bazillion types of spirea, and I think you just don’t like your variety. To me they look full (no bare spots) but not tall.

I hard prune mine to 6” every few years and I find mine respond well, regrowing to their typical height within a few weeks but without the mess of interspersed dead twigs. By now I have no idea on variety because they are 20+ years old.
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Thanks, Nurseryman, I really appreciate that you responded to my query. Right now, the Neon Flash is about 30" wide in one direction and about 24" wide in another direction. I can see it had been pruned. It's about 24" high as well. I would love for it to get 4' tall, the better to shade the sun-sensitive plants I mentioned, but I may have to prune it so that it doesn't actually touch and smush the nearby heuchera. It certainly is a beautiful shrub, and I really look forward to seeing the bright deep pink flowers in the spring. Right now, it has pink flower clusters all over that are about 1" in diameter. How big are the spring/summer clusters? I understand that they are bigger. Thanks!!!
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ladon - you say CA, but not where in CA. From your handle, I'll guess Los Angeles. I'm in Glendora just east of LA. Same thing happens every year. When we get into the hot spells like we've had lately, no fruit forms. When it's this hot, nothing you can do will help. Just wait a while and when things cool off (soon I hope), you'll get fruit set again. Weather predicting folks call for cooler this weekend. I got my fingers crossed. Only thing you can do now is water a lot to keep them going. I give my plants a hosing down (yes, I wet the foliage) every night in weather this hot. Most of the time that's not recommended, but in arid SoCal, we can get away with it. Most places can't do this. The air is so dry here, the bad viruses can't catch hold before the water dries on the plants. Mulch is very much recommended if you do this.
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htrinh
Original Author
last year
I guess but not full, I’m referring to the branches drooping and so from the top you see them a lot and to the center of the plant.

Thanks for the comment on the junipers! I tried to find out a while ago what was wrong with them but my local nursery wasn’t very helpful and just recommended fertilizing them.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
sure.. why not.. we dont know whats wrong.. but here.. spend another 10 bucks.. that we will gladly take from you .. lol ... id find a better nursery ... for this kind of stuff anyway ....

if you cut it down... they are growing one first year wood ... and based on the bulk of the flowers.. they are drooping... if you do not cut them down.. then the current stuff will be 2 year old wood next year.. and the plant will be taller.. and droop from that height ...

but.. you didnt like them prior ... so you read and started pruning them down.. and you still dont like them.. so why dont you just cut bait.. and get rid of them.. and plant something that.. hopefully.. you will like ... it is what it is.. and apparently you arent going to change all that ....

life really is too short to mess with plants that piss you off ... get something that will make your toes tingle.. and bring you joy ... instead of a festering wounds that irritates you every time you look at it ... and for a shiny penny.. ill tell you how i really feel about it all .. lol ..

ken

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