Quick Questions
Do I trim my trachycarpus?
Chris Hewes, Kettering, Northamptonshire Not many palms can be grown outdoors in the Midlands, but the Chusan palm ( Trachycarpus fortunei) from central China is a magnificent exception. Although evergreen, the older leaves gradually age and brown. You do see some with impressive ‘manes’ of old leaf stalks, but many gardeners choose to prune these dead leaves off. This can be done at any time of the year, but wear gloves, and leave a short stub of stalk rather than pruning flush with the trunk.
How do I prune winter flowering honeysuckle?
Paul Brownbill, Crewe, Cheshire Lonicera fragrantissima is a shrubby honeysuckle. Plants can be renovated in late spring by cutting hard back to a framework of main stems, but wasn’t flower for a couple of years or more. To contain a larger bush, but maintain fl flowering,g cut old and weak stems to the base to encourage new shoots. Shorten up to one in three of the other branches, cutting them back to a fresh, upright shoot.
Can I be aggressive with my pieris?
Colin Sanders, Bradford, Yorkshire Pieris usually need little pruning beyond deadheading and cutting out frost-damaged growth. Occasionally, a wayward shoot may need taking back to correct any imbalance in shape. Shrubs will respond to harder renovation pruning, cutting back by up to 50 per cent to a framework of branches straight after flowering.