Pruning pyracantha

Could  anyone help please ? We have a tired pyracantha hedge about 8 feet tall and 4 feet deep which has many thin branches. It is growing against a mesh wire fence. There is new growth on all of the branches but only on the last foot, the remainder being leafless. I would like to thicken up the growth and restrict the hedge to a depth of about 18 inches. In this stage of its' life would it be possible to cut back the branches to achieve this. Would it survive such a drastic prune and when would it be best to do this.What after care would be needed to ensure survival and long term, what pruning regime should be employed to limit the growth but still achieve flowering and berries. Thank you.

Yes, you should be able to cut it hard back to get better growth. It can be done now, and feed and water it well afterwards.

In future, try to trim it several times a year, as soon as it starts to look tatty, starting after it has flowered so that you can preserve the flowers and hence berries.

Wear thick gloves because like blackthorn the thorns 'go bad' if you get one in your hand.

We have a pyracantha hedge<span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> along our back fence and for the past two years we have toyed with digging it out because it was so sparce in the middle and really not very attractive to look at. Earlier this year I decided to give it one last chance after reading similar advice given to another poster by Alina. I have to say it's looking so much better already and is thickening up nicely in the middle. All I have been doing is cutting the slightest bit of growth and as a result lots of new growth is appearing in the middle (which I'm leaving alone) I noticed today that the flowers are developing so I'll leave it be now because I do like so see the berries in the Autumn. I'm so glad we didn't dig them out!

Thanks for the advice, that will keep me busy this weekend. Alina W, sorry to take advantage of your knowledge but should I use any particular feed ? Thank you.

Any general purpose fertilizer will be fine, Garry - it's just to encourage it to produce more shoots.

Thanks again Alina. I am new to the site and it is reassuring to know that such excellent advice is available and so quickly.It will be interesting to see if I am able to supply advice in return.

I'm sure you will in time, Garry - as you gain experience, you'll find others in the same position that you have been who can benefit from your knowledge