Topic: Pyracantha hedge

[tricia]

In April 2 years ago I planted a 1 metre high pyracantha hedge against a north facing low wall. It flowered and produced lots of berries for the birds but since then - nothing. It did not flower last year at all and there are no signs of budding this year either. Anyone have an explanation? The hedge is about 8 metres long and has put on good growth being about 120cm high or more in some places. It has filled out nicely too.

I fed it with an all purpose fertiliser (Blaukorn) in April.

Tricia

[grawrc]

Don't know Tricia. Have you trimmed it back? It flowers mainly on 2year old shoots so you could have trimmed them out.

The site is north-facing which may mean fewer flowers.

Have you kept it well watered (necessary for a year or two) ?

[Spireite]

Ooooh, I was thinking of replacing a 7' high privet, with a pyracanthus, my garden is appros 80' long :o ...i got it measured for a fence quote this week (not cheap) !!! How much did your new hedge cost [if you don't mind me asking]. Any tips for me would be greatly appreciated Thanks Rx

[Aden Roller]

In April 2 years ago I planted a 1 metre high pyracantha hedge against a north facing low wall. It flowered and produced lots of berries for the birds but since then - nothing. It did not flower last year at all and there are no signs of budding this year either. Anyone have an explanation? The hedge is about 8 metres long and has put on good growth being about 120cm high or more in some places. It has filled out nicely too.

I fed it with an all purpose fertiliser (Blaukorn) in April.

Tricia

Tricia I'm wondering if you are plainly too kind.  ;) You are treating that pyracantha so lovingly and it's not giving much in return.

Stop feeding the thing as it's romping away producing new growth and feeling very happy with itself.

Treat it mean - ignore it. When it thinks life is getting a bit hard it'll produce a wealth of flower in order to make sure its kind continues. Often shrubs produce swathes of berries when it seems that life is tough and they are worried about survival.

When it does play ball (flower and berries) but you need to give it a trim cut back after its flowered and try to avoid chopping off too many of the berries. That way you'll give it plenty of time to form another lot of flower buds for the next season.

[Aden Roller]

Ooooh, I was thinking of replacing a 7' high privet, with a pyracanthus, my garden is appros 80' long :o ...i got it measured for a fence quote this week (not cheap) !!! How much did your new hedge cost [if you don't mind me asking]. Any tips for me would be greatly appreciated Thanks Rx

With patience pyracantha isn't too difficult to propagate from seed if you know someone who has one with berries. It is a bit of a slow process but a cheap one!!  ;)

(I wouldn't ask Tricia just yet... maybe next year though)

[shirlton]

We have a smal pyracantha hedge that has never ever flowered in 15 years. The ones we have at the bottom of the garden are 20 foot high. They are more like trees and they flower brilliantly. I think some plants must be sterile.
When we trim the large plants we always poke some of the shoots in pots and they always take.

[goodlife]

I look after old 'bit' of pycarantha hedge..and it does flower and produce berries a lot..but only because I'm leaving the hedge bit 'hairy'....allowing some of the new growth to develop into flowering wood. Before I took over it never did anything as the owner did keep it down with hedge trimmer and during summer continually chopped the growth off.
If you want it still look like 'tidy' hedge..you need to leave inch or two of new growth bellow the cut.

[tomatoada]

This could explain why one of my bushes does not flower.  I have two, one each side of my front bay window.  One has flowers and berries, and one nothing except leaves.

[tricia]

Thanks for all the input. The hedge got its first trim last Autumn, very minimal though. As you can see from the piccies it has put on a lot of growth and has bulked out quite well. It will eventually provide a screen from the adjacent lane and, hopefully, a deterrent to cats and a nesting place for birds.

[attachment=1][attachment=2][attachment=3]

Tricia

[John85]

Don't grow them from seed if you want berries.The plants'll grow well but "ll produce few fruits.They are selected clones that have to be propagated by cuttings.

[Aden Roller]

Don't grow them from seed if you want berries.The plants'll grow well but "ll produce few fruits.They are selected clones that have to be propagated by cuttings.

That's worth knowing. Thanks.

I think I was getting confusalled with the mountain ash that we grow from seed years back.
          Cuttings of pyracantha should be quicker too.

We bought several plants for hedging - they were reduced and in a bit of an uncared for state but pulled through and made terrific plants....red and orange varieties..

Tricia you certainly have a good number of pyracantha plants in there. How far apart are they?

[tricia]

AR - about 35cm. I bought 25 100cm plants at a cost of around £150 including delivery. I wouldn't use the eBay seller again. When I complained that half of them were 80cm or under she told me "we didn't have enough but they'll put on good growth this year anyway"! That wasn't the point - I had paid for 100cm plants - not 80cm plants which she was also selling. There was no suggestion of a refund unless I sent them all back at my own cost. Real customer service - not!!

Tricia

[Aden Roller]

AR - about 35cm. I bought 25 100cm plants at a cost of around £150 including delivery. I wouldn't use the eBay seller again. When I complained that half of them were 80cm or under she told me "we didn't have enough but they'll put on good growth this year anyway"! That wasn't the point - I had paid for 100cm plants - not 80cm plants which she was also selling. There was no suggestion of a refund unless I sent them all back at my own cost. Real customer service - not!!

Tricia

You should get a heck of a thick hedge at 35cm spacing. We had two on the end of a wide garage about 2 metres apart and they covered the whole wall top to bottom and sideways - would have covered the window too if we hadn't cut them back each year.

They'll look lovely in flower!!  ;)