Can you "make" a plant be any size??

lily225

Maybe this is a really stupid question, but I'm totally new to landscaping so please be nice to me

When looking at the tag on a plant and it gives you the measurements that it will be, could you continually cut/trim it back to be smaller?? Does it need to be the biggest size possible to thrive?? 

WhiteGarden

I think it depends on the type of plant and the amount you'd like to cut it back to. Too much/ too frequent trimming could leave a plant vulnerable to disease and pests.  Trimming at the wrong time of year could have unintended effects too, such as eliminating the possibility of flowering.  But if it's a certain perennial that could get, say, between 4 and 6 feet tall, and you'd rather it stay a little closer to 4 feet than 6, you might be able to do some controlled height management there.

 For example, I give my gardenias and butterfly bushes each a "healthy" trim each year, but that doesn't mean I cut them back an equal amount.  I trim the gardenia once a year just enough to keep it full, but I never do anything drastic.  I'm a little less cautious about the butterfly bushes (granted, I've only had them a year), and I might trim them a little more often and more drastically, but I also am willing to let them get to their max size at a certain point -- I don't plan to constantly keep them several inches under their intended height.  

I hope this helps... If you could name the specific plant you're thinking of, and how small you want it to be, that might help put your question in context, too.

~NB~

WhiteGarden:

I think it depends on the type of plant and the amount you'd like to cut it back to. Too much/ too frequent trimming could leave a plant vulnerable to disease and pests.  Trimming at the wrong time of year could have unintended effects too, such as eliminating the possibility of flowering.  But if it's a certain perennial that could get, say, between 4 and 6 feet tall, and you'd rather it stay a little closer to 4 feet than 6, you might be able to do some controlled height management there.

 For example, I give my gardenias and butterfly bushes each a "healthy" trim each year, but that doesn't mean I cut them back an equal amount.  I trim the gardenia once a year just enough to keep it full, but I never do anything drastic.  I'm a little less cautious about the butterfly bushes (granted, I've only had them a year), and I might trim them a little more often and more drastically, but I also am willing to let them get to their max size at a certain point -- I don't plan to constantly keep them several inches under their intended height.  

I hope this helps... If you could name the specific plant you're thinking of, and how small you want it to be, that might help put your question in context, too.

I agree. An excellent explanation.

 

TarHeels&Rebels

It comes down to work.  Yes, if you buy a plant in a one gallon pot (that's a small one), you can trim on it every year to keep it that size.  But it's going to be constant work.  You know those big ol' evergreens you just took up?  I don't know how long you'll be in this parsonage, but if you're not around to cut plants back and the next preacher moves in and doesn't garden, the shrubs will end up overgrown again and the house is right back where it was.  That's why it's best to select plants that get only the mature size you want.

lily225

Thanks everyone - I knew this was probably the answer and I knew that really I didn't want that kind of upkeep. I was just trying to see if I could still get my roses/shrubs in like I had planned. But I have moved onto a different plan that I love much better!