Neil Bromhall
July 20th, 2003, 12:53 PM
----- Original Message -----
From: christine
To: info@complete-gardens.co.uk
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 11:39 AM
Subject: Enquiry from Complete-Gardens website
To all at complete Gardens
I just love your CD, but where in heavens name have you put Broom? I have seven gardening books and not one of them gives any advice on how to prune the shrub to keep it healthy. I live in the mountains of Mid Wales and broom seems to like it here apart from the very cold winter winds. I have yellow, White, in plain colours and a orange and brown duel colour, also a pink and burgundy duel colour, which I nearly lost this winter, the hot summer seems to have revived it. However people tell me [aged aunt] that broom cannot be kept healthy, that it is fine for a couple of years then goes brown and dies. This I cannot accept as the wild yellow one thrives in the hedgerows around here. I am very fond of the duel coloured ones as they make a splendid show after the daffs and tulips and I much prefer shrubs to bedding stuff.
Yours sincerely Christine Chandler
Hello Christine,
Broom comes under Cytisus.
They are difficult to keep looking healthy as the lower stems become bare and leggy.
Pruning should take place straight after flowering and the flowering wood cut back by two thirds of its length. Do this every year to keep the plant compact and to avoid legginess. They do not respond to being cut back into old wood so be sure to prune them every year to prevent them from becoming top heavy and straggly because once they are there is little you can do to get them back to a good shape.
Hope that helps.
Paul
From: christine
To: info@complete-gardens.co.uk
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 11:39 AM
Subject: Enquiry from Complete-Gardens website
To all at complete Gardens
I just love your CD, but where in heavens name have you put Broom? I have seven gardening books and not one of them gives any advice on how to prune the shrub to keep it healthy. I live in the mountains of Mid Wales and broom seems to like it here apart from the very cold winter winds. I have yellow, White, in plain colours and a orange and brown duel colour, also a pink and burgundy duel colour, which I nearly lost this winter, the hot summer seems to have revived it. However people tell me [aged aunt] that broom cannot be kept healthy, that it is fine for a couple of years then goes brown and dies. This I cannot accept as the wild yellow one thrives in the hedgerows around here. I am very fond of the duel coloured ones as they make a splendid show after the daffs and tulips and I much prefer shrubs to bedding stuff.
Yours sincerely Christine Chandler
Hello Christine,
Broom comes under Cytisus.
They are difficult to keep looking healthy as the lower stems become bare and leggy.
Pruning should take place straight after flowering and the flowering wood cut back by two thirds of its length. Do this every year to keep the plant compact and to avoid legginess. They do not respond to being cut back into old wood so be sure to prune them every year to prevent them from becoming top heavy and straggly because once they are there is little you can do to get them back to a good shape.
Hope that helps.
Paul