When to Prune Escallonia.

We live on a fairly new housing development & the builders planted escallonia hedging between all of the houses, 1-6 years ago & a lot of them now look quite scruffy (& similar in size). Don't know the type (cheapest??!!) they're very dark pinky/red. Ours were planted 2 years ago. 

Early this spring neighbour to the right mentioned how untidy it was (he didn't particularly want it anyway, but we prefer a boundary) so I pruned it quite hard.  It hasn't flowered this year. On the left side we left it, it flowered a bit & it still has a few flowers on it. 

I thought that it should be pruned in spring as it flowers late in the year; Mr Google has many opinions on the matter, so I thought I'd ask some much more knowledgeable people . 

Cheers,

Jean.

Prune escallonia hedges in the autumn immediately after flowering - September would be about right, even if it's still got a few flowrs on - doing it now wouldn't be too late

If you're happy with an informal hedge you can just trim it lightly with secateurs to take out straggly bits etc, and this method will give you more flowers the following year.   If you prefer a more formal hedge you can cut it back quite severely with hedge trimmer or shears but you will get fewer flowers.

Thanks very much Dovefromabove.

I have tended to be a bit wary of chopping down anything just before the bad weather starts.  

I had some lovely fat buds on several fuchsias until we got -5 a few nights ago; now there are just fat brown buds .

As we'd prefer flowers, I'll wield the secatuers asap.

Jean.

I must admit to thinking that the spring was the best time for Escallonia pruning, but last Autumn my tree surgeon took an electric cutter to mine- I actually hant wanted those doing, just the huge E.Iveyi next to them.

Anyway this year they have all really thickened out & flowered well too. So early autumn pruning for me from now on. Am in NWest, so not as far up as you Jeannie. J.

Thanks Jo, that's reassuring.

I've severely pruned the one by the neighbour who'se not bothered & just trimmed & reduced a bit on the other side.

Jean.