As summer turns to autumn, thoughts turn to tidying the garden and it is now an ideal time to prune many plants to keep them vigorous and flowering well.
It’s also not too late to complete the pruning jobs for August if gardeners haven’t got around to them yet.
Bryan Clayton, CEO of GreenPal and experienced gardener has listed five plants to prune this month and how to go about pruning them.
He told Express.co.uk: “Pruning can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Basic pruning shears for smaller branches and loppers for branches more than half an inch in diameter should do the trick.”
1. Fruit trees
During this month, gardeners may have started to notice that their fruit trees are starting to look a little “untamed”.
Bryan claimed that the “secret” to fix this is to prune in “early September” before the first frost.
He advised: “Remove any dead wood and thin out crowded branches to allow better air circulation and light penetration.”
2. Rose bushes
For gardeners to keep their rose bushes “blooming beautifully”, the expert claimed that these plants need pruning now.
Bryan said: “September is a great time to give them a light pruning. Snip off any dead or faded blooms about a quarter-inch above a five-leaflet leaf.
“This helps channel energy into new growth and will prepare the plant for winter.”
3. Hydrangeas
It can be incredibly frustrating when hydrangeas just don’t seem to bloom as well as expected. When pruning hydrangeas, the expert warned that gardeners need to “be careful” with them.
Bryan urged: “Only prune the ones that bloom on new wood, like the panicle and smooth hydrangeas. Cut back the spent blooms and about one-third of the height.”
4. Summer-flowering shrubs
Summer-flowering shrubs like spirea need to be pruned this month. Pruning these types of plants means “more blooms next year”.
After they’re done flowering, give them a good trim to “shape them up and encourage new and healthier growth”.
5. Perennial herbs
Gardeners should begin to prune perennial herbs like sage and rosemary this month to encourage new growth.
Pruning these plants in early autumn can actually “stimulate a burst of new growth” that will “last until the first frost”.
Bryan instructed: “Clip back about a third of the branches, but avoid cutting into the woody parts of the plant.”
Post source: Express
