Philadelphus looking wonderful but........

They're lovely, Trish

Mine struggled so I moved it to somewhere more sunny but I think this last cold snap finished it off, sadly.

Mine has lovely golden foliage but not even a trace of a bud. It has bloomed, sporadically, in previous years, but is apparently on strike this time. I am going to give it a good haircut and see what happens.

Last year mine was beautiful. It flowers on the previous years growth so you prune after flowering. This I did. Only the gardener I employed to prune my shrubs this Spring didn’t realise and cut it right back although I’d said to leave it! Result I have no flowers this year. Hopefully it will be back next year. I am very envious Trisha!

Mine are lovely as well, I give them a thin out and cut back the tallest stems after they flower each year. Have three which are about 10 foot tall and covered in flowers.

25Avalon, is it too late in the season to prune my philadephus?

How far back should it be pruned?I hesitate to prune it as it is growing so enthusiaticaly green.

It looks lovely. Sadly we had to cut ours right down this spring as it was as dead as a dodo and was literally rattling its bones, all dead wood and not a sign of life after 30 years.

It's one of my favourite garden scents. We will have to get another.

Caleo it is recommended to prune in July when it has finished flowering. This has the advantage of seeing what you are doing! The flowered stems can be cut back by a third. If the plant needs thinning out you can cut some back to a third. Just make sure you leave new stems for it to flower on next year.

Caleo, just as 25 Avalon has described above. Also, it is advisable to take out a couple of the very oldest stems right down to the bottom to allow new ones to sprout up and thicken the shrub. I'm going to have to use a power saw by the looks of things as some of the stems on mine are about 3inches thick!

25Avalon That's one of the reasons I don't have a gardener. I'd have been furious - surely if you're an employed gardener you should know your basic shrub-pruning stuff? To be fair, I can still do most of the garden jobs myself and our garden isn't huge (about 50 x 30 feet). OH is employed to cut the grass and help with any heavy jobs, but as we've now got it just about how I want it (notice I said "I", not we!) the heavy jobs are few and far between.

Fingers crossed for your philadelphus next year!

I’ve never got to grips with when to prune. Used to have really bad greenfly on my Philadelphus when it flowered. My ex husband pruned mine back to within an inch of it’s life (note the word ex….)

Trisha gardeners round here charge £20 an hour and aren’t interested in an acre a lot of which is wilderness like mine. Just wish I could clone myself. I found someone in the winter only changing £12 an hour who hacked back a lot of my jungle and strimmed the rough area doing a groundsman job. Sadly, because of Covid I was self isolating and left him to get on with it, so I can’t complain and he was very apologetic. It will be back next year.

Thanks Avalon, and Trisha for the advice. I hope to do as you advise or ask my son although I will have to micro manage .

annodomini

Mine has lovely golden foliage but not even a trace of a bud. It has bloomed, sporadically, in previous years, but is apparently on strike this time. I am going to give it a good haircut and see what happens.

Please don’t cut off this years growth. It is on them that next years flower buds appear. That is why Philadelphus and Weigela have their current spent flower stems pruned, but this years non flowering stems left.
Of course if you need to shape it, some non flowering stems may need to be cut, but not all of them.

Yes, my Philly's are in full and abundant flourish at the moment. All started with one small shrub placed strategically at the front door to welcome the wonderful aroma indoors. Now have four well matured and tall shrubs all taken from cuttings from the original plant. Joy indeed.

That is why Philadelphus and Weigela have their current spent flower stems pruned, but this years non flowering stems left.

Thank you, J52
Our Weigelas have been very good this year, even the one we thought had died earlier this year.