JohnW Moody wrote:Yes. Elder respond well to pruning. They bear better with proper pruning, and are healthier, along with you keeping harvest "within reach" as they say. Some varieties (and growers) actually GROUND PRUNE the shrubs/plants each year! Totally mow them to just 8-24 or so inches tall. Ground pruning does require very good amendment practices (you are asking a lot OF the plant, so you need to provide a lot FOR the plant.) My book goes over all the common major pruning methods. At the best least, you can keep them 8 feet and under if you want, and remove old growth to use for crafts!
Thanks for this! We have red elders growing in profusion all around our pond, and with their growth habit they are taking over the pond... their limbs droop lower and lower until they are growing horizontally out over the pond to capture as much sun as possible. I think a hard prune is in order.
I love red elder, especially when it is flowering.
