Knowledgebase
Wiegelia die back after pruning #871267
Asked June 03, 2024, 10:41 AM EDT
Wine and Roses wiegelia. Over 10 years old. Pruned back recently (within the last couple of weeks) after blooming was done. I noticed yesterday that much of the shrub seems to have died back. No new growth, leaves brown and crispy. No obvious fungus. Sides and lower branches seem fine but again, no new growth. Do I need to cut back severely and rejuvenate? Any suggestions as to cause?
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi,
It could be that when you pruned it, those inner leaves were exposed to the sun and they got burned. You can do a scratch test where you gently scrape the inner branches with your finger nail or lightly with the blade of your pruner and see if there is green under the cambium -outer bark layer. If so, they should re-leaf then. From experience of cutting them back when they are leggy after flowering, it can take a little bit for them to recover. If you see any branches that are brittle you could prune those back a little further.
Typically we don't recommend fertilizing with out a soil test first and then only if warranted, but you could try adding a water soluble low does fertilizer to help speed up recovery. Just follow label directions and water at the base of the plant.
Let us know if they are still being sluggish over time or the symptoms worsen.
Emily.
