Topiary Shaping Frame

by Rolts in Living > Gardening

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Topiary Shaping Frame

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This simple frame, made from readily available irrigation tube and fittings, makes it easier to prune shrubs into spheres.

As the shrub grows, it is easy to make a new frame, adjusted to the size required.

Materials List and Preparation

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3 x lengths of irrigation / poly tubing.

2 x 'T' joiners of the appropriate size for the tubing.

Use a tape measure, or piece of cord, to calculate the required circumference (perimeter) of the shrub, after trimming.

Cut the tubing so that all three pieces are of the same length. They are each to be equal to half of the circumference calculated in the step above.

Assembly - Step 1.

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1. Push the top section of one of the 'T' joiners into one of the lengths of poly pipe/ irrigation tubing.

2. Repeat with the other 'T' joiner on the other end of the same piece of tubing.

3. Push the second piece of poly pipe / irrigation tubing onto the top section of one of the 'T' joiners.

4. Carefully bend the poly pipe/ irrigation tubing around to form a circle.

5. Push the top section of the 'T' joiner into the tubing, to form the circle.

6. Twist the 'T' joiners so that the open end of each is pointing up when the circle of tubing is flat on the ground.

Assembly - Step 2.

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1. Push the remaining length of tubing onto each of the open sections of the 'T' joiners.

2. This will complete the shaping frame.

Using the Shaping Frame 1

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1.Push the shaping frame onto the top of the shrub.

2. Trim the foliage so that you remove any growth beyond the frame .

Using the Shaping Frame 2

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1. Reposition the frame on the front of the shrub, and repeat the trimming as in the previous step.
2. Reposition as necessary to continue the shaping as desired.