Like many other trees, the buddleia is traditionally cut in spring. But in the summer, after the end of the flowering period, a caring cut is also an option. Learn when and how much to prune buddleia to extend the blooming period.
Its flowers attract the eye and make it the highlight in the garden: the buddleia. No wonder the shrub is so popular. With good care, the flowering period of the tree extends from July to September. However, to ensure that new panicles continue to form during this period, you should regularly remove the faded onesremove from butterfly bush.
Cleaning out spent buddleia: when to remove the panicles?
Don't wait to remove dead flowers. Because as soon as you do that, the plant will produce new flower buds. So that you can marvel at the blossoms, you should clean the buddleia once every 10 days. Cut everyonewitheredBloom three to four times a month so you can extend the blooming period.
A longer flowering period is also environmentally friendly, as the beautiful shrub not only pleases the eye, but also provides food for insects in late summer and autumn. But if you don't clean out your tree, you will soon notice that the shrub only blooms once.
There is another important reasonCut off flowers regularly. The buddleia sows itself and there are many seeds in the flowers. If you don't cut off the dead flowers, you'll see buddleia in other places in the garden next year. However, if you cut off the flowers regularly, the seeds cannot fully form. However, you can leave one or two panicles in the fall because the seeds provide food for birds.
To be on the safe side, you should dispose of any dead flowers with your household waste. It is best not to compost or use as mulch. Don't just leave them lying around the bush, but carefully collect and dispose of all withered flowers. Otherwise, you risk that the buddleia will spread in the garden, in the neighbors' garden or in the open field. Since it is an invasive, exotic plant, it is better to prevent this spread.
Caring pruning in summer and autumn: How much to cut the buddleia?
In summer, during the flowering period, i.e. July and Augustfollowing nursing measuresrecommended:
- Cut off withered leaves and flowers every 6 to 10 days (it's best to check the buddleia once a week for dead flowers). Cut off the panicles and stems up to the next leaf axil using sharp, clean secateurs.
- Also remove any diseased shoots and leaves that are too close to the ground.
- The best time to do this is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Cuts can burn, especially in the heat.
- Choose a sunny or cloudy day. Do not cut off the flowers when it rains. Water the plants at least a day before cutting. The cuts are open entry points for fungi; moisture can promote this.
In the fall you can rejuvenate the plant. Pruning is done at the end of the flowering period. This measure is intended to bring the bush into the desired shape and possibly thin it out. The shoots are not cut off close to the ground, but rather shortened slightly. Never cut them into old wood. It's best to shorten the old shoots by a third; you can also leave this year's wood standing. Cut the shoots down to a maximum of the second leaf axil. The cut should be as clean as possible, so always use sharp pruning shears.
Caring for buddleia during the flowering period
The outdoor trees can cope with little care. In this case, it is sufficient if you work compost or horn shavings into the soil at the start of the season.
However, if it is a potted plant, regular fertilization is very important. You can use a commercial liquid fertilizer. It is best to use mineral fertilizer and administer it once a week.
You should also proceed in a similar way when watering - water potted plants regularly so that the potting soil does not dry out. Outdoor trees, on the other hand, only need watering during long periods of heat.
The buddleia is a beautiful shrub with its...fragrant flowersand green leaves delight the eye all summer long. However, to ensure that the tree blooms from July to autumn, proper care is crucial. This also includes regular cleaning out of the dead flowers, as well as nourishing rejuvenation pruning in September. Potted plants react more sensitively to a cut and need more time to recover. They also need water and fertilizer.
You can find out how to cut lilacs after floweringread here.
