Prune summer-flowering shrubs

Now’s the time to prune back summerflowering shrubs that flower on new shoots. If you’ve got a Buddleja davidii, caryopteris, hardy fuchsia or a summerblooming spiraea for example, and a heavy frost isn’t forecast, then give them a tidy. Hard pruning is essential; cut back all last year’s growth to two or three buds from the older main stems. Also remove two or three old shoots to the ground too, to reduce overcrowding and twiggy growth. When you’re pruning at this time of year, make sure you treat the plant you’re pruning to a nice feed afterwards of Growmore or blood, fish and bone. If any plants haven’t flowered as you’d like them to, you can help them along with a feed of sulphate of potash.