Pruning Pyracantha !!

[MagpieMick]

When is the best time to prune Pyracantha to get a good berry crop..
I live in flat, a private block and have a area near the garage block where theres a grass area, with mixed trees Larch, Silver Birch and Cherry.
The Pyracantha is large and overhangs the path so the gardener/maintence man cuts it back.....It usually attracts good flocks of Redwing etc but this year he must of cut it at a different time as the berry crop was poor.

Would like to be able to ask him to prune for a good berry crop but don't know when to tell him?

Cheers

Mick..

[Susie]

I imagine that now is a good time to prune. Then there will be plenty of time for the plant to put on new growth and produce flowers this summer.

[galanthus]

I would go for around end of march, that way any really cold snaps will hopefully be banished to next year. I'm cutting 2 of my bushes right down to the ground end march, worked wonders last year for regeneration of old bushes.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by galanthus

I would go for around end of march, that way any really cold snaps will hopefully be banished to next year. I'm cutting 2 of my bushes right down to the ground end march, worked wonders last year for regeneration of old bushes.

I agree re:concern over frosts, however that very much depends on where you live. So long as no hard frost is forecast for the 24 hours after pruning I would go for end of February for most of southern UK and in SW England even the end of January if the berries have gone. In northern climes and in exposed Eastern England, mid to late March is probably safer if major pruning is required.

CM

[Bouncytigger]

i made the terrible mistake of puttin pyracantha cuttings on the compost heap last year and 8 months down the line they look like i put them there yesterday

if i can find my CAST IRON gardening gloves I'll pull the cuttings out and the city council can have them

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Bouncytigger

i made the terrible mistake of puttin pyracantha cuttings on the compost heap last year and 8 months down the line they look like i put them there yesterday

if i can find my CAST IRON gardening gloves I'll pull the cuttings out and the city council can have them

I either snip them into smaller pieces and pop them into the recycling bag, (whilst wearing very thick gloves and still squealing ) or I keep them whole and pop them behind the odd shrub or the back of borders etc. They are evil once they've been cut a few weeks

[Bouncytigger]

Originally Posted by galanthus

I either snip them into smaller pieces and pop them into the recycling bag, (whilst wearing very thick gloves and still squealing ) or I keep them whole and pop them behind the odd shrub or the back of borders etc. They are evil once they've been cut a few weeks

I'll go for option one
and don't the birdies just love it

just bought another ORANGE GLOW

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Bouncytigger

I'll go for option one
and don't the birdies just love it

just bought another ORANGE GLOW

I have to say my orange berried ones are always last to be eaten, mine seem to prefer the red ones every time. Fortunately I have around 7 of them so they've got a bit of choice lol.

[Susie]

I had a very large pyracanthus in the back garden and hacked it back to just a few stumps about a month ago. To be honest I didn't care if it died or not because it was just too big to be practical for it's position and I have planted two others recently. I noted today that it is sending out new shoots so these plants must be pretty resilient.

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Susie

I had a very large pyracanthus in the back garden and hacked it back to just a few stumps about a month ago. To be honest I didn't care if it died or not because it was just too big to be practical for it's position and I have planted two others recently. I noted today that it is sending out new shoots so these plants must be pretty resilient.

I did the same last year. Had a massive one from one large single stem, this was over 6 inches in diameter. It had to go to allow builders access so I cut it right down to the ground and felt quite sad that I had destroyed it. It's so healthy now, new shoots came within months and now it's gorgeous after only a year That's why I'm tackling some of others soon.

[naturelover]

Is pyracanthus that beautiful blue shrub/tree,i have one of those and i just chop it here and there as it hangs right over the path,its beautiful every year.

[Susie]

I think you are thinking of ceonothus (sp?) Naturelover. That is another beautiful shrub. Pyracanthus is a small leaved evergreen shrub that has white flowers in summer and then either, yellow, orange or red berries during the autumn/winter. It also has some very nasty spines!

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

I think you are thinking of ceonothus (sp?)

Correct spelling is Ceanothus, also you have Caryopteris another blue flowering shrub which most grow to around 1m in height.

[Susie]

I stand corrected.

[Bad bird watcher]

Sorry to hijack this thread but the mention of ceanothus got me thinking. Mine is intruding on my neighbours drive and I'm expecting a complaint anytime soon. I have read that they should be trimmed back after flowering but would it be ok to chop it back now? At least the bit that overhangs the fence.

Thanks

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Bad bird watcher

Sorry to hijack this thread but the mention of ceanothus got me thinking. Mine is intruding on my neighbours drive and I'm expecting a complaint anytime soon. I have read that they should be trimmed back after flowering but would it be ok to chop it back now? At least the bit that overhangs the fence. Thanks

It will not hurt the plant, you will just lose the flowers from the parts you prune. Though I would emphasise 'prune' as opposed to 'chop back'

CM

[Geoff F]

Not sure if there are any modern varieties of Pyracantha which are different but the old advice was never prune if you want berries because it flowers and produces berries on last years growth. If you must cut back to reduce size then prune every third shoot (branch) each year so that the others will still flower and produce berries, but it does take three years to reduce in size. The traditional time for pruning was just after flowering so that it will have time to recover and flower the following year. If you do have to cut it back hard do it then.

Propagate by semi ripe cuttings in August or September.

My red berried variety has developed a form of rust or sooty mould and I can't find any cure so in desperation I cut it back to a stump which is starting to regrow. If the rust returns it will have to go. The orange form is unaffected.

[Bub-les]

Originally Posted by Geoff F

Not sure if there are any modern varieties of Pyracantha which are different but the old advice was never prune if you want berries because it flowers and produces berries on last years growth. If you must cut back to reduce size then prune every third shoot (branch) each year so that the others will still flower and produce berries, but it does take three years to reduce in size. The traditional time for pruning was just after flowering so that it will have time to recover and flower the following year. If you do have to cut it back hard do it then.

Propagate by semi ripe cuttings in August or September.

My red berried variety has developed a form of rust or sooty mould and I can't find any cure so in desperation I cut it back to a stump which is starting to regrow. If the rust returns it will have to go. The orange form is unaffected.

Sound advise. Totally agree. If it has to be cut back and you still want berries then wait till it is in flower and prune off the non flowering parts.
Hard pruning often encourages the shrub to grow more vigorously.
Geoff F you could try spraying with Systhane an anti fungal spray used on roses for rust mildew etc I found it got rid of rust on my ornamental weeping willow. It was sprayed at first sign for 2 years and I haven't had to spray for past 2 years!
Hope that helps
Barbara

[Bad bird watcher]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

It will not hurt the plant, you will just lose the flowers from the parts you prune. Though I would emphasise 'prune' as opposed to 'chop back'

CM

Yes that was a rather unfortunate choice of words!