Garden Care

REASONS FOR PRUNING:

1)  To reduce and maintain size;

2)  To induce young vigorous growth;

3)  To make twig colour more intense on newly planted roses or on weak cultivars;

4)  To maintain or improve health by removing dead and diseased wood;

5)  To increase the size of flowers or fruit;

6)  To induce more branching on young trees and shrubs or on ground cover to increase the density;

7)  To improve the shape and maintain well spaced branches;

8)  To encourage balanced growth;

9)  To aid access, e.g. where branches overhang a path or road.

N.B.  pruning induces growth and may affect flowering

MAIN RULES OF PRUNING:

The following are groups of plants with an explanation on how to prune them:

LARGER GROUND COVERING SHRUBS  (grown for foliage):

Lonicera nitida
Pruning:  Cut back deep into the plant to hide the cuts and help to keep a natural looking shape.
Time:  March.

Euonymus fortunei
Pruning:  Remove the apical buds (the buds at the tip of the stems) with shears.
Time:  March.

Fatsia japonica and Mahonia
Pruning:  Thin out to the first node.  Only prune when it is desperate.
Time:  March.

Cornus
Pruning:  Cut down the older stems to the stumps.
Time:  March.

SMALLER GROUND COVERING SHRUBS

Hypericum calycinum – flowers grow on the new tips.
Pruning:  Cut down to ground level. 
Time:  March.

Erica – early flowering on last year’s growth.
Pruning:  Prune after flowering to the dense part of the plant or just trim.
Time:  After flowering.

INFORMAL SHRUBS THAT FLOWER ON YOUNG GROWTH

Spiraea
Pruning:  Either prune hard every 3-4 years or lightly trim with shears yearly.
Time:  March.

Buddleja and Lavatera
Pruning:  Cut to the required height.  It can be cut down to 18” above the ground. 
Time:  March.

CLIMBING ROSES

Pruning:  Train in new growth.  Cut out the old growth if there is no room for new growth.
Time:  March

FLOWERING PLANTS

Viburnum x Bodnantense – late autumn to spring flowering.
Pruning:  Leave unpruned.

Caryopteris clandonensis – late flowering (September-October) on the tips of the young shoots from the present year’s growth. 
Pruning:  Do not hard prune, just lightly snip the tops.
Time:  March

Rosemary – flowers on last year’s growth. 
Pruning:  Cut off the old flower heads on a regular basis immediately after flowering.  Do not hard prune.
Time:  Immediately after flowering.

Rosa nitida – flowers in the summer on old wood.
Pruning:  Leave if possible but if not then lightly thin out.
Time:  As applicable.

SOFT FRUITS

Red Currants
Pruning:  Cut out the dead and diseased wood.  Cut out the crossing branches and snip the tips out of the main branches and laterals.
Time:  Winter.

Black Currants
Pruning:  Remove the dead wood and remove a few of the older stems.
Time:  Winter.

FRUIT TREES

Apple Trees
Pruning:  Prune out the watershoots, crossing branches, dead and diseased branches.
Time:  January-February.

FORMAL HEDGES

Prunus laurocerasis and Taxus baccata
Pruning:  Prune to shape.
Time:  August–September.  The growth will not recover over winter so they will stay formal for 6-7 months.