PHOTINA OR RED TIPS

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I HAVE 48 RED TIPS (PHOTINA) ALONG MY PROPERTY LINE TO SHIELD ME FROM NEIGHBORS, THEY HAVE GROWN TO ABOUT 15 FEET. WHEN SHOULD THEY BE PRUNED AND WOULD CUTTING BACK TO 8 FEET HURT THEM? THEY ARE VERY HEALTHY I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH LEAF SPOT. THANKS FOR ANY HELP. DON dessertmaker2000@hotmail.com

-- DON HOWARD (dessertmaker2000@hotmail.com), March 06, 2000

Answers

Don, our red-tips are indistructable! My husband butchers mine in the heat of summer and they still are beautiful. I would hurry and do it now, mine are already beautiful and red because of our crazy weather here in Texas. Make sure they get plenty of water if you are in a drought area right now because they will start growing heavily after a prune. Vicki McGaugh

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 06, 2000.

Hi,

A good rule about pruning shrubs is only cut back one third the size of the shrub. That leaves enough for the plant to thrive and stay healthy.

Are you through with the bad weather? If not wait till that is past because the shrubs could take winter damage, and need to be cut back because of that. If cut back before winter is over and damage does happen, you may have to take off too much and harm the plant, or the shape of the plant that you want.

hope this helps.

Beth (NC)

-- Beth (NC) (Craig@icu2.net), March 07, 2000.


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