Japanese spirea

Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica 'Gold Mound') should be watered once a week in the summer months and every other week in the winter months. To determine how much water to use, check the soil an inch below the surface for dryness; if it is dry, give the plant enough water to thoroughly moisten the soil, but be careful not to overwater. For best results, water early in the day so the leaves have a chance to dry before nightfall.

Japanese spirea prefers full sun for best growth, however it will tolerate some light shade. Young plants should be planted in an area that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Plants grown in areas with less than 6 hours of sunlight will be leggy and require extra pruning or staking. As plants mature, they become more shade tolerant and can tolerate up to 4 hours of direct sunlight each day.

Japanese spirea should be pruned twice a year - once in early summer, directly after it finishes blooming; and again in late winter or very early spring. For the first pruning, remove up to a third of the oldest, woodiest stems, cutting them back to ground level or just above it. This will promote vigorous new growth and help keep the shrub neat, tidy, and bushy. For the second pruning, take off any dead or weak stems, as well as any new shoots that appear over-long, or are growing in an unsightly direction. Depending on the severity of the pruning, only a few minutes to an hour may be needed.