pruning weigela

Question

It is the end of July, is it too late to prune my weigela? We just moved into this house and they are large and very bushy and too big for the place they are planted.

Answer 1

Pruning this late may sacrifice some bloom but I don't think it is too late for new wood to harden off before winter. (Pruning spurs new growth.) So take out the oldest wood to the ground, removing no more than 1/3 of the plant. Also remove dead wood and where 2 branches cross or rub against each other. If doing this every year, preferably right after blooming, doesn't keep the plant at the size you want then it is time to replace it.