If you choose to start your cuttings in compost, insert about 1.5 to 2 inches (3.8 to 5.1 cm) of your cutting stem into pre-moistened compost in a pot. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Water the cutting and cover it up with clear plastic. Spread and stir compost into the soil around the root zone in the spring if you wish to adopt organic growing techniques. Can be heavily pruned although this is usually unnecessary. By trimming the branches the right way, you can get your Rose of Sharon into any shape you want and have a full shrub of flowers when spring rolls around. Hibiscus essentially makes up the Rose of Sharon, albeit not all of Hibiscus is the Rose of Sharon. "@type": "Question", Carefully trim off excess growth from the sides and bottom of the rose of Sharon plants to make them fit the area you have them planted in better. Remove damaged or dead wood before you deal with any criss-crossing offshoots or growth that is so out of control that its threatening your plants tidy look. Lavender. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Where helpful to the reader, some posts may contain links to products. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem. Why is such pruning action important? Here, the service of an arborist is needed to take care of your pruning needs. Cut out deadwood. Cutting back your Rose of Sharon too early or too late can shock the plant, leaving it vulnerable to the elements and stunting healthy new growth. Soil not enriched with a fertilizer high in phosphorus also causes your Rose of Sharon not to bloom. Prune your shrubs into a tree shape. Top, upright growth may be pinched back to encourage the growth of side branches. Prune your Rose of Sharon in early spring before the next blooming season. It is commonly used to boost the immune system and fight off infections. Otherwise, humid circumstances can encourage the growth of fungi. References Pruning rose of Sharon in the winter or fall once the leaves drop for the season will give you more blooms from each plant during the following spring or summer seasons. Left to its own devices, the plant will typically grow to over 12 feet in height, and spread laterally 8 to 10 feet. Rose of Sharon is well known as a low-maintenance shrub. How can I start new Rose of Sharon plant cuttings? Ongoing Care for Rose of Sharon Bud drop can be a problem with growing rose of Sharon. Weve seen the different pruning techniques as well as the best times to prune back such shrubs. Observing a few simple pruning tips will also make the job easier on you and your plants. How to Make Your Own Flower Food DIY Recipes Flowers frequently feature a darkly pigmented neck and a large stamen. You can get this look by trimming entire branches away right by the plants base. Minimal or no pruning will result in more but smaller flowers. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates, .wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-18426 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-18426 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; } Only young Rose of Sharon plants should be considered for such. One example of this would be a plant that has a taller trunk that spouted several offshoots that now form a very thick umbrella of foliage and flowers at the very top. Any branches that are rotting, are discolored, or look brittle should be pruned away and removed from the plant. You can prune and train Lavender Chiffon Rose of Sharon into a small flowering tree as well. If youre not sure whether a particular branch is actually dead, try scraping off a little bit of the bark. Pruning offers a wide range of benefits to plants. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Prune-Rose-of-Sharon-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Rose-of-Sharon-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Prune-Rose-of-Sharon-Step-1.jpg\/aid10084922-v4-728px-Prune-Rose-of-Sharon-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"