President’s Day Rhododendron

Ok, not exactly firewood…..

Thee Rhododendron have grown rather large. We decided to cut them back and then figure out what comes next down the road. We’ve cut a few of these back closer to the house a few years back and they grow back rather quickly. We’ll see how these do.

These were pretty big:


Started on one end:

Progress:




Final product:


I ended up throwing the chain twice on the MS250. First times that’s happened in the almost 14 years of owning the saw. Unlike a tree, these stalks dropped straight down and pinched the chain. An odd occurrence was the entire linkage for the carb came undone. That was a bit of a bear to get back connected. The kill switch and the choke were not working. Got it all hooked up though!

Great day to be outside. The weirdest winter I’ve ever experienced in New England continues. At least there’s some snow in the forecast up north this week.

 

That is a bit of a contrast in the before and after. Mom's got a rhody that is over 50 years old and it must be 20 ft tall and 30 ft wide. It has a horizonal branch that is 16" across. Because it has been left to go wild, she gets two colours from it. First comes the colour that was grafted on the root stalk and then comes the colour of the root stalk. it is pretty neat.

It is so large that there is sort of a cave beneath the canopy.

 

That’s really cool!

These had some decent stalks as well. I actually saved a bunch to use in the firepit.

 

Just a little pruning??

 

Aw man, I'd miss those. We have some big ones near our house and love the yearly bloom. I learned to trim it after the blooms drop and that keeps it in control. Every year we'd take pics of our kids in front of it during peak colors.

 

Woodwidow Do you have any pics of it in bloom or could you get some this year?

 

I think the wood is good btu stuff. I know Midwinter has burned it. Thrown chain is common cutting stuff like that.

 

I actually have a decent haul! I’ll get a pic of it tomorrow and post it up.

 

We have some big ole Rhodys here...have trimmed them down quite a few times over the years...I've burnt a few pieces of it...it makes a lil heat.

 

I will try to remember. It usually blooms right around Mom's birthday in May

 

It's interesting that a lot of ornamentals have high BTU wood, rhododendron, lilac, hawthorn, holly, yew, redbud... maybe it has to do with slow growth.

 

I'm not sure I would have done that during "winter" sine they are evergreen so don't go dormant. But maybe they will be fine - you would probably know better than I since you've done it before. IDK, the only time I trim mine is when there is winter die back from extended extreme cold snaps and high winds at the same time. But I wait until mid summer to see if any of it has recovered. I'm too chicken to cut mine fully back because I like having them between the front door/porch and the road. They also protect the front of the house from a fair amount of the winter winds.

They were here when I bought the place, but they previous owners kept them trimmed just enough you could sidle your way thru the "walkway" that is between the two. I shoveled that walkway during the first winter and decided that was nuts and let them grow over it. Not like I have visitors anyway, and the driveway and parking areas are not even close.

Pics taken June 2021. It was still recovering from some nasty dieback from winter of 2019.



From the driveway looking south (its my signature pic)


From the road looking east (you can see where the walkway used to be)


Looking west from the porch


From the mailbox looking north


Picture from June 2019 showing extensive winter damage

 

damm.
I only would have pruned back to the last twig on each branch that still had some leaves.

 

Definitely wouldn't cut it back really far but.. if you do want to get it trimmed back, right after the blooms fall, prune the heck out of it. I didn't for years with ours when we moved in for fear of damaging them in any way. Little research and I read the tip on when to do it. After a couple years of this, mine is under control and perfectly healthy. They are every bit as large as yours too, if not larger. It's a yearly event now as they were approaching the height of our gutters!

 

Makes sense. Nice to see you again Molly!

 

Dad used to "prune" ours about every 10 years. He used a chainsaw and reduced them from 10 feet high down to about 3-4 feet high. Same with diameter. Once established, they always come back. Mom was never impressed so once dad passed (almost 15 years ago) I became the pruner and do it about every other year to keep a nice somewhat large but not overbearing size. I personally love them covered in snow and I also love how the leaves curl up on cold mornings...nature's thermometer of sorts.

 

How did you dispose of them? Compost center closed till mid March.

 

Leftovers stacked up.



Brad,
The greenery is stacked way in the back yard. I’ll haul it all to the compost center when it reopens. It’s a bit much for my homeowner chipper!


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Reopens on March 16. What are you doing with "limb" wood? Making the trip North? Let us know how it splits?