Rhododendrons.Lembi Buchanan
Question: Our rhododendron has finished flowering and is quite unruly. Can this be cut back at this time of the year?
Answer: You're in luck – this is the ideal time to prune it (and it's a plant that really does looks bad when it's unruly). Use clean secateurs and cut out the dead stuff. Then prune out branches that look out of place. If you make a shapely plant, you will find it fills out nicely. Just don't be afraid of it. They are tough plants, and if you make a mistake, nature will fix it eventually. Take out no more than one-third of the branches. Make the cuts on an angle to the branch without leaving a stub so the plant can heal itself. If you are at all unsure, hire a qualified arborist or gardener who knows these plants. Or ask other rhododendron owners in your neighbourhood and watch what they do.