PRUNE BACK WINTERFLOWERING SHRUBS
Spring’s the ideal time to cut back winter stems and late- and early-flowering shrubs – here’s a handy guide
Pproduceruning encourages plants to their best display of flowers, helps control their size and creates a more attractive shape. It promotes a healthy overall plant by removing dead, diseased and damaged branches, which if left on the plant could lead to infection. Removing branches that cross and rub can also prevent wounds opening up and creates a more open shape to allow better air flow through the plant. The timing for different plants varies, but many benefit from an early spring trim.
What to prune
● Winter- and early springflowering shrubs (Viburnum bodnantense, Lonicera purpusii,
Lonicera fragrantissima, ribes and forsythia) Prune as soon as flowers fade so new growth can form and ripen ready to bloom next winter.
● Colourful winter stems (cornus, salix and rubus) Grown for their colourful winter stems, prune now to encourage next winter’s vibrant new growth. See how to do it on p38.
● Late summer-flowering shrubs (hardy fuchsia, perovskia and buddleja) These flower on new stems, so cut back hard to encourage vigorous growth, which will have time to mature and flower. Remove one-fifth of old stems on older plants. ● Clematis pruning group 3 (latef lowering Clematis tangutica, C. viticella and C. orientalis) These bloom from July onwards. On each stem, work up from the base to find the first healthy bud above ground and cut away the top growth.
How to do it
● Use clean, sharp tools – choose secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw for thick stems.
● Prune just above a healthy bud or to the base of the plant.
● Feed after pruning – sprinkle a general-purpose fertiliser or seaweed feed around the base of the plant. Then mulch with leafmould or compost, but leave a gap around the base of stems to avoid causing rot.