The Wine and Roses Weigela shrub's burgundy leaves shimmer like fine wine and the hot pink flowers compete with any rose in beauty. In addition to its showy display, this low-maintenance plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and is considered non-allergenic for most people. It should be pruned immediately after blooming in either late spring or early summer. This will give it a chance to grow the new wood that will provide you with plentiful blooms next spring. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your gardening tools. They should be kept free of rust and sharp so that you are able to make clean cuts; jagged cuts are more disease prone. If cutting out diseased branches, disinfect the blades with alcohol or a mixture of nine parts water to one part bleach. This prevents the spread of disease to healthy branches. Use loppers for the larger stems and hand pruners for the smaller ones.
2Prune out any dead, diseased or damaged branches; these can be pruned at any time of the year. You want to remove as much of the branch as possible without cutting into the trunk or stem. The ideal pruning cut will angle outwards slightly, just above an outward growing bud.
3Prune the oldest branches all the way to the ground. These can be identified as those that are 1 1/2 inches thick or more; you may need to use the loppers. These old, woody branches tend to crowd out the new growth if not removed periodically.
4Prune to control size and shape if desired. You can cut back up to a third of any branch in a single year without damaging the shrub. While some shear their Wine and Roses Weigela with hedge clippers, this will destroy the natural fountain-like growth habit of the plant. Use pruning shears instead.