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You have to think about how nature works. When there are natural fires in forests, and the rhododendrons, mountain laurels, beautyberries, and other shrubs are killed back to ground level, they almost always resprout from the root crown. Many of the trees you see in forests today are actually sprouts from stumps where the original tree was logged a century ago. That’s just how they evolved to survive.
I don't know WHY you think it is so strange to ask for advice, or try to LEARN something you are unfamiliar with.
Of course I realize it is more work. As it stands right now, all I do is go out there and wack the new growth off with hedge trimmers. I know trying to prune it is going to be more work.
The hedge is short because it is in front of a walkway. It's not part of the main foundation hedges.
Sorry, your post just kind of irked me. lol....
What the heck? I'm just trying to get advice and learn something here.
Btw, once you convert your azaleas from sheared to natural shape- you do not need to do anything with them except occasionally remove broken or dead branches!
Your initial efforts will pay off with more enjoyment and no chore of shearing the hedge to shape every year.
I don't know WHY you think it is so strange to ask for advice, or try to LEARN something you are unfamiliar with.
Of course I realize it is more work. As it stands right now, all I do is go out there and wack the new growth off with hedge trimmers. I know trying to prune it is going to be more work.
The hedge is short because it is in front of a walkway. It's not part of the main foundation hedges.
Sorry, your post just kind of irked me. lol....
What the heck? I'm just trying to get advice and learn something here.
Yes I read it's not your hedge.
That's why I said "that hedge".
I never said it was "strange to ask for advice". I said I didn't know why you wanted to take on more work when you're not inclined to become a gardener "after all these years".
Alternatively, you could've just paid someone to come yank them out, or chop them to the ground and kill them off, or give you a consult.
Part of learning is to realize that people who have "been there, done that" actually may KNOW what they're talking about and be MORE familiar than you.
If you don't like a piece of advise you can ignore it. In life and on the internet!
I have to agree with MrRational. You ain't gonna get the pretty back. When you start trimming away, you are going to find both sides of the bush are going to be naked. I don't think you will ever get enough lateral growth to fill in those areas. At least, not for quite some time anyway. (By that I mean years)
Exactly. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with the symmetry and spacing required, either. That would drive me crazy. I'd be out there every day trying to "fix" it.
I'd rather have to quickly prune 12 feet of hedge than see the eyesore of half naked hedge with dead stuff in between each original bush or the outside not having any live growth and looking like it went through a hurricane. LOL
But I'd definitely try the cutting down to the ground before the selective pruning. 100X over.
I never said it was "strange to ask for advice". I said I didn't know why you wanted to take on more work when you're not inclined to become a gardener "after all these years".
Alternatively, you could've just paid someone to come yank them out, or chop them to the ground and kill them off, or give you a consult.
Part of learning is to realize that people who have "been there, done that" actually may KNOW what they're talking about and be MORE familiar than you.
If you don't like a piece of advise you can ignore it. In life and on the internet!
"not inclined to become a gardener after all these years" ?? I never said I wasn't a gardener. I said I have no knowledge of hedges.
As to the bold:
uh.... which is EXACTLY why I came here to ask the question.
And yes, you did make it seem like it was strange to ask advice.
Why pay someone for a consult, when I can merely ask advice online as a starting point?
And why would I pay someone to "yank them out" when I could easily do that myself if I wanted to. My thread is about finding out if it is POSSIBLE to get these azaleas out of this hedge shape INSTEAD of yanking them out.
You're just not making much sense.
What are you, a professional garden consultant that gets annoyed at people sharing information online?
Btw, once you convert your azaleas from sheared to natural shape- you do not need to do anything with them except occasionally remove broken or dead branches!
Your initial efforts will pay off with more enjoyment and no chore of shearing the hedge to shape every year.
Oh, very interesting! Ok, so there is a little hope!
This makes sense. I'm going to try it once the weather warms up a bit.
The hedge itself is not very long, maybe about 12 feet long.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out!
Much appreciated!!
(and if all else fails, if I turn out not to be much of a green thumb with this, I'll take Mr.Rational's advice.)
Thanks guys!
Too much pruning can damage the plant---
And doing it while plant is growing-after dormant state-is also bad
Better to do now and be selective w/the overkill
I don't know WHY you want to change it if you're not a gardener and don't have any skills in it.
You DO realize that the hedge is MUCH less work than all individual plants or whatever it is you think you want, right?
As you found out according to your OP.
Although I have no idea why some homeowner would prune their hedge to 3 foot tall.
If you truly "don't know why (op) wants to change it" you did not read the original post.
I'm with the OP. I hate trimmed hedges of any sort. ANY sort, including boxwood and all its ilk. I want my plants to look like plants, not boxes. Or spheres. Or ostriches, or deer, or weird spirals, or any other shape other than their natural shape. I don't care what is in YOUR yard, but in MY yard? Plants will be plants, not architectural statements, LOL!
And you are DEAD wrong about the amount of work it takes to "maintain" a plant allowed to grow in its natural form. That shouldn't require ANY explanation whatsoever, LOL!
That is a LOT of information. How very nice of you to post all of that.
Thank you very much. I am saving all this info for reference.
You guys are all seriously awesome.
Once this project is underway (in the Spring) I will probably bump this thread back up to let you all know how it went. Hopefully, it will be good news, if not...I'll be posting a "OMG! I killed all of my azaleas!" thread. (just kidding)
Wholeheartedly agree folks here in the Garden forum are seriously awesome! There are so many knowledgeable & experienced people here ~ sometimes I just like to come here & read the various responses. (you guys are great, thoughtful, creative, & generous ... for sharing with amateurs like me. Many thanks, much respect, & greatly appreciate! )
Not sure I can give such great advice/recommendations unless I've had experience. I'm an experimenter & have to be inspired to do large pruning projects, I'm more inclined to enjoy the growth habits & also enjoy the 4 seasons of a plant's natural lifespan (here on Long Island, NY). I have to be in the mood to cut, prune, etc. & I don't think it's because I shy away from hard work or big projects. Also very much enjoy visiting other locales for the plants that do not grow here naturally.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nik4me
Btw, once you convert your azaleas from sheared to natural shape- you do not need to do anything with them except occasionally remove broken or dead branches!
Your initial efforts will pay off with more enjoyment and no chore of shearing the hedge to shape every year.
Agree. Maybe a photo of a 'hedge' of natural shaped azaleas to visualize what the 'end product' might look like would be helpful?
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