[Robert B]

I have a very nice "hedge" of this stuff and would like to know what the best way to trim it would be. It is starting to get a little to tall.

Would it best to hair cut the whole thing? Right now it is about as big a round as a softball and about 6 inches tall.

Thanks,
Robert.

 

[gpodio]

If the lower part is not loosing it's color then yes just trim it back. It will branch out and grow back in no time. If the base looks ugly though you may prefer to top it and replant just the tips.

Regards
Giancarlo Podio

 

[Robert B]

The bottom portion is pretty ugly lots of brown leaves in the middle of it.
Thanks for the tips.

Robert.

 

[gnome]

My own experience is that you cannot "buzzcut" this plant. When I leave the lower portions rooted, the new growth (IF it actually puts out new growth) is scrawny and very unhealthy. I found that the best way to deal with this plant is to let a stem grow until it puts out several branches, then to uproot the whole stem, snip off each branch, and replant them separately. This way, you propagate it very quickly and you maintain healthy, vigorous growth.

I don't know, though - maybe under better conditions, it is possible to get perfectly good growth out of a cropped base. I've never managed it, though.

-Naomi

 

[ShaneSmith]

i personally like to top this plant. Because it makes it look thicker than when i replant it. However i am now going to replant it due to suggestions from other people. I think with a pair of tweezers its possible to get it to look as thick.

 

[gpodio]

I usually do a little of both, I try to cut back some of the tips before it is overgrown, this way by the time it's ready to be cut back, the previously cut stems have already branched out and become bushy. Eventually however I find the bottom part of the plant gets ugly so I'll uproot it and plant the tips when this occurs.

Giancarlo Podio

 

[plantbrain]

I generally pull up the whole bunch, whack off the lower 1-2 inches and then separate the bunch into 2-4 patches and replant these.
These fill out in less than a week and then you have 2-4 very healthy bunches. Then do it again and then you have 4-16 bunches and then next week.......aaaahhh!

I'll snip the errant stem that's too tall but beyond that it becomes a lot of work picking through each stem etc with plants like this.

Regards,
Tom Barr