Botanist Dad

Sometimes we all need a hand in the garden but who do you ask for help? Our Botanist Dad (@thebotanistdad) knows all about plants and growing, and is here to answer your dilemmas

QDear Botanist Dad, I’m keen to tidy up outside, but unsure what can and can’t be pruned right now. What can I cut back without fear of harming it? Nancy Ellis, London

AYou can cut back almost anything at this time of the year, because most plants are not actively growing. Pruning now means that when your plants start to wake up in the spring, they’ll put all their energy into the stems you do want, rather than wasting it on all the bits you don’t.

Start with anything that’s obviously going mad and thrashing about in the wind, such as roses, clematis or wisteria. Cut back any long straggly bits, and tie them to a cane, fence or trellis. Then cut back any herbaceous plants you missed tidying up in the autumn, such as chrysanthemums and phlox; and remove any dead leaves from hellebores, to let the new flowers show through. If you have peonies, take off any dying leaves and cut the stems down to a few inches from the ground. Do the same with buddleia.

Fruit trees, such as apples and pears, can also be cut back now, which will encourage new flowers and fruits later in the year. Chop off anything that looks damaged or weedy. And if you’re lucky enough to have a grape vine, give it a haircut – cut down to within two or three buds of past new growth, to keep it manageable.

As a rule with pruning, always cut just above a bud if you can, preferably at an angle. People tend to be a bit scared when it comes to cutting back, and often don’t take off enough. So, my general mantra with any plant is to prune to where you think you ought to cut back to… then cut back one bud further than this. Be brave!