To help get on top of the garden this month before the frost arrives, a gardening expert has shared what to prune. Pruning aims to remove dead, diseased and damaged branches as well as stems to promote new and healthy growth. What’s more, it can also help to keep the plant tidy, improving the overall aesthetic of the garden.
Fiona Jenkins, gardening expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk, previously said: “Pruning is an important job that you need to complete during this month. There are several plants that may benefit from being pruned at this time. Here’s what you should prioritise.”
Roses
Roses, especially climbing roses, should be pruned at this time to shape them and remove any dead bits of wood or diseased wood.
The expert said: “When pruning roses, make sure you use clean and sharp pruning shears.
“Cut back the stems to around six to 12 inches from the ground nd remove any dead or diseased wood.”
Roses should be pruned in autumn or in early spring. If you prune your roses in winter, they will be unlikely to bloom next spring.
Shrubs
October is also a great time to prune any deciduous shrubs that have finished flowering now.
When pruning shrubs, make sure to remove any dead areas, also shaping them in the process by removing unwanted branches.
Fiona said: “When pruning shrubs, it is important to avoid pruning them too heavily, as this could weaken the plant.”
The gardening expert added that gardeners could choose to perform this job in the spring, too.
Fruit trees
Pruning fruit trees helps to improve their shape and their yield, according to the expert.
When trimming, follow the rule of removing all dead or diseased wood.
The expert explained: “You can also thin out the branches to help improve circulation and also improve sun penetration.
“Fruit trees should be pruned during late winter or early spring. When pruning fruit trees, it’s important that you avoid pruning them too heavily as this could weaken the plant and reduce its yield.”
October is also a great month for other garden maintenance tasks, such as raking leaves, mowing the lawn one last time before winter and planting spring-flowering bulbs.
Comments are closed.