Pruning Red Tips

Question

I planted 125 red tips last year and all but two made it. This spring they looked nice and green with new red on top, but they are starting to look weak. I live in Texas, and we have had a lot of rain lately, so I cut out my watering.  I have not pruned them to help growth, don’t know if I should and how to. So what can I do to get the green back and get them to grow taller faster? They are passed the first year now and have not grown very much. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

If you cut your plant back, you may actually see an increase in growth. Prune your Photinia anytime between spring and early fall, with late spring/early summer more acceptable. Red Tips are excellent candidates for rejuvenation pruning. To rejuvenate the plant, cut it all the way back to the ground...to about 6 inches from the ground. It should grow back nicely and you can expect to see 3 to 4 feet of new growth the very first year.