Pruning to rejuvenate shrubs

Rejuvenating pruning shrubs to restore them to their former glory.
Includes Hebe, Phlomis, Lavender, Potentilla, Rhododendrons, Prunus, Viburnum and Fatsias. Many shrubs can be pruned back hard to regenerate them and increase their life span.

[@jekaterinagaraliene5702]

Thanks so much for this video, it's one of the most helpful I found on RUclips 👍

[@sallynolan5928]

Thanks for the advice. I’ve always been a bit cautious about pruning back hebes. I’ll certainly have a go now.

[@laurelsayer7557]

Have just found your channel. Fantastic, the advice is just what I needed as my Hebes and Brachglottis have been really badly hit by the frosts of Winter 2022/23, even here in the South East. My Pittosporum Tom Thumb and P. Golf Ball have also lost nearly all their leaves too. Do you think they will releaf on the tips or should I cut back, and if so how hard?

[@Mikebaldwin007]

HI Laurel, I would wait until March and examine the bases of the plants, with your thumbnail scratch the bark to see if it is green. If it is green you know they are alive. Cut back to any tiny buds that are emerging. Give some protection if the forecast is a heavy frost e.g fleece or a cover. I hope it goes well, cheers Mike

[@sallynolan5928]

Same here in Surrey. Exactly the same shrubs as you mentioned suffered badly - in fact 9 out of 12 died. A local nursery to me were caught out by the low temp in winter too and lost all their Pittosporum.

[@elletram]

hi mike i have a flowering hebe its getting a bit leggy but its flowering (white flowers) is it safe to prune it now im in scotland (June) can i hard prune it or best to just trim it back a bit there is also another one next to it but its tiny so id like it to catch up so they are both the same size or would you wait

[@Mikebaldwin007]

Hi, I would prune it straight after it has flowered at least a couple of inches below the flower stalk and see how it responds. If you can see lots of little shoots low down you could go for a harder prune. Do you know which Hebe that it is, cheers Mike

[@elletram]

@@Mikebaldwin007 I have no idea PlantNet says Veronica summer bean