Q. I have a beautiful Rhoddy which is about 6ft. high. The last couple of years it has become quite leggy. There were a lot of blossoms this year, but grouped at the end of the branches, which seem to be pretty weak. I know the time to prune it back is now!! There is new growth in the center of the bush. The problem is we do not know where to make the cut. My husband is good at pruning, but he wanted to make sure he did this one right. We have had this rhoddy for years. Once again it is about 6ft. high and about 8ft. wide. Please help!! I do not want to loose this bush. Thank you Margaret Miller – Puyallup
A. Well your concern is well founded because even professionals will approach pruning rhododendrons in different ways. This is because different species react differently to pruning. Some can be cut to a foot above the ground and send up a new shrub in a few years. Others cut similarly will not send out new shoots and will never recover. This can also happen when long branches are cut back. Sometimes they resprout and other times they will not. It would be difficulty to tell you the exact way to prune your rhododendron except for the fact that your rhododendron provided proof that of its ability to sprout lower on the branches. The location for pruning cuts is found by following the branch down to a place where it branches. In your case you can also prune back branches just above the growth you have described “in the center of the bush”. For many rhododendrons what you describe as leggy is really a desire of the rhododendron to move from being a large shrub to a small tree. In some cases it is better to move the shrub than to fight with it. This is especially true when it is grown too close to a house or other plants.