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How to Make a Spiral Topiary Shrub
How to Make a Spiral Topiary Shrub. Spiral topiary shrubs are easy to create and look great in containers. Here's how you can make your own without spending a lot of money for one at a nursery.
Spiral topiary shrubs are easy to create and look great in containers. Here's how you can make your own without spending a lot of money for one at a nursery.
Things You'll Need
Tall, young juniper shrub, ideally 5-6 feet high
Plant tape, or yarn
Pruning shears and hand scissors
Select a tall juniper shrub that is about 5 feet to 6 feet high. These plants have a diameter of less than 2 feet when they are young. You can start smaller if you like. Get a plant that is young, with healthy growth that has a single straight trunk. The shrub should be shaped like a column and not a sprawling plant.
At home, plant your shrub in the container you have selected. You do not have to replant it to make the topiary. However, a replanted shrub is less likely to dry out and die than one you keep in a small nursery container.
When you have the shrub planted, tie your plant tape or yarn to the top of the bush. Swirl the tape around the bush in a spiral fashion. Create 3 loops in your spiral, so that when you look at the plant, you see the spiral tape in 3 locations. Make sure the spirals are evenly spaced.
Using your clippers and scissors, trim back to the trunk everything that is above the tape spiral. Start at the top of the bush and work your way down. Carefully look at the bush as you trim it so it remains uniform as you cut. The trunk will be partially exposed with your pruning. Lightly trim the outside edge of the spiral below the tape so that it is rounded and full. Continue pruning until you are happy with the plant's appearance. Remove the tape. If you feel you have over trimmed the plant, do not worry as you can correct it as it grows. You will need to trim the plant regularly to keep its spiral shape easy to see.
Tips & Warnings
Spiral topiaries make great house warming gifts. It is best to practice making your own before you create one for someone else.
Planting the topiary in the ground encourages it to grow very large. Check the expected plant height at the nursery if you are not planning to keep the topiary in a container.
