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Pruning Natives
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Posted by reillyoz007 Vic Aust (My Page) on Wed, Aug 31, 05 at 7:21
| Gratlog posted a query in the Gallery about pruning a Callistemon and I'm hoping that someone can answer more (probably silly) queries. My Callistemons (only in the ground 2 years) never seem to completely stop flowering so should I just prune when they seem to be least active? I always thought you should prune natives after the spring flowering but these silly buggers don't seem to know when spring is! They were flowering merrily in deep midwinter.
Also I usually feed them in early spring and late summer. If I prune now is it ok to feed them still?
Lastly, at what stage after flowering do I prune them? That might sound a bit silly but I'm trying to encourage native birds etc and don't want to deny them any foodstuff.
Any help appreciated. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Pruning Natives
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- Posted by pos02 NSW Aust (My Page) on
Wed, Aug 31, 05 at 18:47
| You could try cutting off the flower heads as they die off, but if you want more radical pruning, then you may need to just go ahead and do it. We have a similar problem with a grevillea, but we haven't attacked it yet. |
RE: Pruning Natives
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| It is quite possible that they do not need pruning. If they have been flowering so much, that could suggest that they are not too leggy and generally they branch at the flower point. You can however prune Callistemons just behind the seed head. If you have a look at the plants you might see that on some branches, they tend to branch out at that point. I must confess if it was me, I would not prune them too harshly if they have only been in for two years and if they have been flowering well. Grevilleas should be pruned differently to Callistemons. |
RE: Pruning Natives
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- Posted by Shooa NSW Aust (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 1, 05 at 5:47
| Cut a few inches behind the spent flower, All year round. |
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