Leggy Ligustrum

My parents planted ligustrum bushes as a hedge probably 20+ years ago. They grew close to 10 ft tall when we trimmed them down. We also trimmed them on the sides. Now they are very leggy with spindly branches growing in all directions. Many of the branches are growing leaves toward the ends of the branches while the inner part of the branches are bare. What is the best way to manage these bushes? Should I trim the branches back to one length?

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1 Comment To "Leggy Ligustrum"

#1 Comment By BushDoctor On 11/13/2023 @ 12:37 pm

This is going to sound drastic, but it is time for a full cutting down of the shrub for rejuvenation. This is a late winter task. They will come back like nothing happened in spring. After that, you can do yearly maintenance pruning.

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