"Prune After Bloom"

I love these early spring blooming shrubs - they make it feel like summer!!!

Pruning a Rhododendron.
So many people have these beautiful and resilient shrubs.  Fortunately, they are quite resistant to pests and also very forgiving with pruning. 

FULL Blooms!

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Entering the messy stage...

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Pruned to a tree-like form.

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​I see many Rhodys like this. Leggy, because people are afraid to prune and lose flowers, OR too much mulch which holds too much water, OR too much sun.  The truth is, more pruning = more flowers.   ​BUT, then there's timing.....

Because these shrubs grow so well in the PNW weather, they tend to get a little too big a little too fast.

You can see the top of this Rhody has already got new growth even before this year's blooms are done.

Don't get me wrong, Rhody's look fabulous in their rich fragrant fullness and bright blooms! However, they can also "reach out and hug you" while you're walking down the sidewalk, too.  So, keep them tidy and they will reward you with delight for years to come! ​

New growth can appear quickly after blooms have died. 
NEW GROWTH is where the blooms will appear next year!
That's why you want to trim right after bloom so that the plant has time to grow enough before the fall!  Make sure you prune the plant back far enough so that it maintains an appropriate (for you) size for a couple of years. 

I prune all my flowering shrubs every other year - alternately - so I choose one shrub per year to reduce. 

Super Simple!
However, if you want help, you know where to FIND ME :)​​

 Lilacs and Forsythia can also be pruned semi-aggressively, as needed. ​