Sambucus Black Lace

[Sellowiana]

Hi, I have a sambucus black lace growing in a large pot. It's about 8 years old. I haven't been pruning it correctly in the past but have recently learnt that I should be cutting it down to ground level in early spring before new growth appears. It is only just spring here, but there is already new growth appearing. Is it too late to prune it down to ground level now? TIA

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi, I have a sambucus black lace growing in a large pot. It's about 8 years old. I haven't been pruning it correctly in the past but have recently learnt that I should be cutting it down to ground level in early spring before new growth appears. It is only just spring here, but there is already new growth appearing. Is it too late to prune it down to ground level now? TIA

Hi and welcome!


Didn't know about that.
We have this, in a big tub. It's the central feature in our garden. Dunno about variety.


Here ten years ago.

Here, last year. I prune and shape it a bit every year, but not by that much.
I've never cut it right back.

Gets quite a lot of blossom on it every year.

 

[Sellowiana]

Hi and welcome!


Didn't know about that.
We have this, in a big tub. It's the central feature in our garden. Dunno about variety.


Here ten years ago.

View attachment 107252


Here, last year. I prune and shape it a bit every year, but not by that much.
I've never cut it right back.

View attachment 107253


Gets quite a lot of blossom on it every year.



View attachment 107254

Hi Sean, thank you. It looks like the same plant, and my pots probably about the same sort of volume... but yours looks so much bushier!! Mine is leggy and pretty sparce (even in the summer when it should be at its fullest). It's dark here now, but I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and add it for reference.

Do you feed it something special?

 

[Anniekay]

Yes, cut it down and that will help it to get bushier. When you cut back a growing tip, the plant will then produce two shoots, one to each side of the tip you cut off. Pruning promotes bushier growth.

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi Sean, thank you. It looks like the same plant, and my pots probably about the same sort of volume... but yours looks so much bushier!! Mine is leggy and pretty sparce (even in the summer when it should be at its fullest). It's dark here now, but I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and add it for reference.

Do you feed it something special?

It gets an occasional feed with the stuff I feed practically everything. My wife buys it from the QVC channel every year.
I've actually taken less off this year, than I have in the past. But it always thrives.

It's got a stake holding a branch in the position I want it. When it has "set" I'll take the stake away.

There's plenty of growth.

I wouldn't cut it right back, as it has a very prominent position in our garden.

The garden is only 90ft long and 30ft wide, for just a third of its length, the other part is only 18ft wide as we have a shed and a garage.

I try to shape a lot of the stuff in our garden. I like symmetry. So nothing becomes too dominant.
Every couple of years, I net and wire our two acer palmatums so they keep their "dome shape," Left to their own devices they'd end up looking like cocktail umbrellas

I'll remove the wire and net before the foliage won't pass through the mesh of the net. By then, the branches will have "set."

Here's a tour.

 

[RockyAldo]

Trim it back in early spring for a fuller look. Keep it watered and it should THRIVE!