Full Answer
Why does Hebe eliptica snap off?
What is the most important pruning operation that can be carried out with the larger leaved/flowered varieties?
Can you prune a Hebe plant?
Do Hebe Midsummer Beauty need pruning?
Do fade trusses need to be snipped off?
Can Veronicas be pruned?
Can you cut back a tree if it is damaged?
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Can a hebe be cut back hard?
Hebes generally need little pruning, but if they get leggy they can be cut back hard to reshape them (this is also worth a go if flower production is poor). The best time to prune them is when the winter starts to lose its grip, but before new growth appears in spring.
How do you prune a hebe leggy?
Prune hebes as soon as the flowers have faded. This leaves plenty of time for the new growth to mature before cold weather hits. Using secateurs, remove the dead flower heads and cut the foliage back by up to a third.
How do you prune Hebes UK?
Immediately after they have finished flowering simply cut out the dead hebe flowers. After a harsh winter some stems may have been burnt by frost. Inspect your hebe at the end of March and prune away any damaged stems, cutting back to a live bud.
How far can you cut back a hebe?
Cut back back dead flowers and up to a third of foliage in late summer, after flowering, to encourage strong new growth and a good bushy shape. Annual pruning will extend the life of your hebe, too.
When can hebe be cut back?
March is a good time to prune a hebe because new buds will be visible. Never prune back into old dead wood, always prune back so that at least a couple of buds are still present on each stem. With shorter and more compact varieties only prune to maintain a good shape. Removing the top 5cm / 2ins is about right.
Can I prune hebes in February?
However, this last option should be done with care! See below. As with the vast majority of flowering evergreen shrubs, Hebe shrubs should be pruned in the growing season - or right at the end of the winter dormancy period. They should not be pruned in late Autumn - nor winter months.
Can you cut back Hebe Tricolor shrubs?
Hebe Tricolor shrubs are among some of the less hardy types of Hebes. After a harsh winter, they will probably need to be cut back quite severely.
Do Hebe eliptica bushes need to be cut back?
Hebe eliptica bushes need to be cut back after flowering. These shrubs often suffer from snow damage, which opens up the centre of the plant and snaps off branches under its weight.
Can you cut back Hebe flowers?
The larger-leaved types, however, can be prone to damaged stems and these should always be cut back at any time during the growing season. Deadheading old flowers on Hebe plants is well worth the effort as it could extend the flowering period for your particular plant or encourage further flowering later in the year.
Do you prune Hebe Midsummer Beauty?
Hebe Midsummer Beauty and other long leaved Hebes generally require no pruning unless damaged over winter but can become top-heavy with bare stems at the bottom of the bush. To increase branching from old branches near the base up to new growth in higher regions, cut back a few older stems as low down as possible on your shrubs.
How to keep hebes from blooming?
A light, annual pruning will keep the neat, compact shape of hebes and ensure that they flower well. Immediately after they have finished flowering simply cut out the dead flowers. After a harsh winter some stems may have been burnt by frost.
What is a low hedge of Hebe?
Low hedges of hebe are often used as a windbreak in exposed coastal gardens and the same planting could be used to protect and enclose herbaceous plantings in inland gardens. Some of the newer introductions have been specifically bred for pots and containers and for small, urban gardens.
What is a hebe?
Hebes are a genus of about 90 species of evergreen, long-flowering shrubs, some with coloured foliage that tend to form dense hummocks. Hebes were originally classified as species of Veronica, and more recent analysis has shown them to indeed be part of the Veronica genus where they may soon be moved back.
How big do Hebes grow?
They can grow between 40cm to 1.5m, and most hebes prefer poor, well-drained soil. They will withstand high winds and salt spray. Although some hebes are hardy, others can suffer from frost damage to new shoots. Most have a hardiness rating of RHS H3 or RHS H4 and are suitable for gardens in USDA zones 8a to 10b.
What are hebes used for?
I have seen the solidity of groups of dwarf hebes looking wonderful as a background to clouds of Sporobolus heterolepis. It is a combination that would work well with other grasses and airy perennials. Low hedges of hebe are often used as a windbreak in exposed coastal gardens and the same planting could be used to protect and enclose herbaceous plantings in inland gardens. Some of the newer introductions have been specifically bred for pots and containers and for small, urban gardens. It remains to be seen whether hebes become sought after but a plant that is so versatile and so beautiful should nevertheless be seriously considered in any garden.
How many cuttings to put in a 9cm pot?
A 9cm pot will take three or four cuttings. Prepare the cuttings by shortening them to about 10-15cm long, cutting just below the point where a set of leaves is growing. Remove the lower leaves and snip off the tip of the cutting. Push the cutting into the compost, close to the edge of the pot.
What does too rich soil do to Hebes?
Too rich a soil will encourage weak, lax growth that will be susceptible to frost damage. If you have heavy soil, digging lots of horticultural grit into the area before you plant will increase the likelihood of your hebe thriving. Hebes do not like cold wind, so try to plant them in a sheltered area. 1 of 9.
How to grow Hebes in a pot?
As hebes do best in poor soil, there’s no need to add organic matter, so simply place the rootball in the hole, ensuring it’s at the same depth it was growing in the pot. Replace soil around the rootball and firm around the plant gently. Water well.
What is a hebe?
Hebes are excellent in shrub borders, and used as ground cover or low-growing hedging, and are relatively low-maintenance. Hebes flower over a long period – all year round in mild regions – with flower colours including pink, blue and white. They can be an important late source of nectar and pollen for bumblebees.
What color are Hebe frozen flame leaves?
Hebe ‘Frozen Flame’ has greyish green leaves with a white edge, that turn a pinkish-purple in winter. In summer, blue flowers are borne in bright clusters.
Where are hebes native to?
By BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Hebes are popular evergreen shrubs, mostly native to New Zealand although some are native to Australia and South America. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and are suitable for growing in a range of sites and planting schemes. Hebes are excellent in shrub borders, ...
When do Hebe flowers appear?
A half-hardy hebe, Hebe ‘Celebration’ forms a tight mound of variegated foliage, from which clusters of purple-pink flowers appear in late spring.
Can you plant Hebes in pots?
Hebes come in a range of sizes. Check that the height and spread of your hebe is suited to your requirements. If you’re planting a hebe in a pot, buy a compact variety. It’s also worth checking how hardy the hebe is – some hebes are more frost tender than others, so need extra care in winter.
Can Hebes grow in an exposed spot?
Take care when choosing your hebe to make sure you can provide it with the conditions it needs – there’s no point buying a tender hebe if you intend to grow it in an exposed spot.
How to keep Hebes in shape?
With the smaller leaved varieties, it is best to give them a light trim with a pair of shears immediately after flowering. This prevents the flower heads forming seeds and encourages new growth.
Can you trim Hebe topiaria after flowering?
If you have a larger leaved variety, you can either trim after flowering again or remove up to a quarter of the growth all over the bush . This again keeps it in shape.
Can whipcord hebes be pruned?
Slower growing whipcord hebes, which resemble conifers, do not like being pruned hard. I have killed many over the years seeing how much they will tolerate. It is best to take cuttings and then cut the rest of the plant to match.
Why does Hebe eliptica snap off?
Hebe eliptica. This and other similar Hebe bushes, often suffer from snow damage, which opens up the centre of the shrub and often causes some of the branches to snap off under the weight.
What is the most important pruning operation that can be carried out with the larger leaved/flowered varieties?
By far the most important pruning operation that can be carried out with the larger leaved/flowered varieties, is to regularly deadhead to faded flowers.
Can you prune a Hebe plant?
Pruning Damaged and Old Hebes. Most Hebes need little or no pruning. However the larger-leaved types are prone to damaged stems, and these can be safely cut back at any time during the growing season. Dead-heading of old flowers on Hebe plants is well worth the effort.
Do Hebe Midsummer Beauty need pruning?
Hebe Midsummer Beauty and other similar long leaved Hebe varieties, generally require no pruning other than cutting out winter damage. However, the shrubs tend to get a bit top-heavy, with bare stems at the bottom of the bush.
Do fade trusses need to be snipped off?
After flowering – which can be quite prolific, the fade trusses should be snipped off. This will allow flush of new growth – and also prevent the untidiness of this particular variety going to seed. Allowing the seed heads to develop will also take away some of the vigour from the shrub.
Can Veronicas be pruned?
When pruned well – and sparingly – these shrubby Veronicas can enhance any garden – or container.
Can you cut back a tree if it is damaged?
In this case, if it is not sufficient to prune out the damages stems/branches, they can be cut back quite hard. This is best done in two stages.
