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Trimming Red robin

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  • 26-09-2019 9:52am
    #1
    homer1982
    Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭


    Hi All

    I have an open site and I planted red robin as a hedge. They did not take off like I had hoped for, as it is a windy area. I installed the green wind barrier and it has helped somewhat, where alot of the the plants and gotten bushy. When would be the best time of year to cut them back?

    Also some of the plants have grown up with a ball of leaves at the top and alot of the base is completely bare, how can I encourage the bottom of the plant(about a foot) to grow branches?


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    #2
    theminstrel
    Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭theminstrel


    You could give them a light trimming still this year.
    I'd wait until next years growing season to cut them back any significant amount. So probably late April/early May depending on weather.
    Leave some leaves on whatever branches you cut back as they may die if all leaves are cut off.
    Don't be afraid to cut them back hard enough.
    The bottom foot will be difficult to fix if there is no foliage down there. I cut one of mine back to about 18 inches this year to see how it reacted(was about 5 foot and leggy like yours). I left some leaves on the side shoots and it's recovered well. This obviously is a backwards step if you want a tall hedge in a short space of time, but will make it a thicker hedge.
    Cutting twice or even 3 times a year is needed to thicken the hedge.


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