How And When To Prune Rhododendrons Robert L. Furniss, Portland, OR “How do I prune my rhododendrons?
” The usual answer to this frequently asked question is, “Very little. Remove the dead and sickly branches and let the plants grow naturally.” Sometimes this is good advice. It applies best to small, bushy-type rhododendrons and to rhododendrons in woodland and mass plantings, but it is not the whole story. At times it is adequate, even misleading. Definition. Pruning is the removal of parts of a plant to control growth. More art than science, it is an adaptation of natural processes to achieve horticultural objectives. Broadly, pruning includes the removal of any unwanted pans of a plant, including flowers, buds, soft wood, hard wood, basal sprouts, and sometimes roots. Pruning is not a routine treatment applied cookbook style. Nor is it a substitute for requirements for vigorous growth, such as fertilizing, watering, controlling pests, and planting properly. Objectives. Pruning is for some cultural purpose. Before plant surgery, the grower should decide what the pruning is intended t
