What to Prune in Summer season

Discover out which vegetation you could prune in summer time, within the video with Alan Titchmarsh above, and beneath.

Spring-flowering shrubs

Shrubs that flower on stems fashioned within the earlier 12 months should be pruned in summer time, after flowering. They embody:

Key instrument: Loppers

Learn how to do it: Take away any stems killed by frost to encourage sturdy new development to develop from low down within the plant. It is best to go away this till early summer time when all danger of frost has handed. You can additionally use loppers.

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Tender shrubs

Contains vegetation that may be broken by late frosts, comparable to:

Key instrument: Secateurs

Learn how to do it: Prune after flowering to encourage sturdy new development that can flower subsequent 12 months. Take away the oldest, woody stems proper right down to the bottom. You can additionally use secateurs, or a pruning noticed for thick branches.

Fruit timber

Eradicating mushy, new development will promote fruit formation on:

Key instrument: Secateurs

Learn how to do it: prune out new extra development. The intention is to create house that can permit extra mild and air in by the tree. This can assist the fruit to ripen. You can additionally use loppers, a pruning noticed or long-reach pruners. Learn extra about pruning fruit timber in summer time.

Hedges and topiary

In the reduction of the present season’s development to keep up form. Shrubs to sort out embody:

Key instrument: Hand shears

Learn how to do it: Clip slow-growing beech, hornbeam or field at first and finish of the summer time. Trim fast-growing privet each six weeks. You can additionally use secateurs or topiary shears for small hedges. Learn extra about pruning beech and hornbeam hedges.

Climbers

Many climbers should be summer time pruned to maintain their development below management and stopping them outgrowing their allotted house. They embody:

Key instrument: Secateurs

Learn how to do it: Prune again trailing stems, leaving simply three to 4 leaves on the present season’s development. The stems of climbers comparable to honeysuckle are quick lived, so prune out a few of these older stems to keep away from a naked base with flowers solely on the prime. Then prepare in new development to make sure there’s a good unfold of flowers. Wisteria wants pruning twice a 12 months, in summer time and in winter.

Rambling roses

Rambling roses often flower as soon as in June. They’ll placed on 5m development in a 12 months. Pruning after flowering, will assist vegetation to flower nicely and keep away from a tangled mess, with flowers excessive up the plant. Ramblers embody:

Key instrument: Secateurs

Learn how to do it: Take away skinny, useless, diseased or dying stems. Then take out branches which have outgrown their allotted house. Then select a 3rd of the oldest, flowered stems and reduce them as low down on the plant as doable. Tie in new, vigorous shoots – these will flower subsequent 12 months. Prune again any sappy development and shorten facet shoots by a 3rd. Watch our video information to pruning rambling roses.

Evergreens

All evergreens are barely tender and shouldn’t be pruned too early within the 12 months, as stems will probably be weak to frost harm. Early summer time is the best time to prune them to keep up their form, management their dimension and take away any frost-damaged stems. They embody:

Key instrument: Secateurs

Learn how to do it: Take away round a 3rd of the previous wooden, taking away any crossing and congested branches. Trim again new development to reshape the plant and reduce any lengthy, unproductive stems. All the time reduce to simply above a leaf joint or bud.