Pruning plants like wisteria and roses is essential for healthy, thriving flowers. But are you guilty of this common mistake that could ‘wipe out summer blooms’?
‘One of the most common pruning mistakes is treating every plant in the garden the same way. They all want something slightly different,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres.
Not all plants grow, recover, or even flower in the same way, so pruning at the wrong time (or removing too much) can mean bad news for your blooms. ‘Getting that right in spring makes a real difference to how they perform over summer.’
When it comes to lavender, Julian says you should keep your secateurs away from the old wood. ‘Lavender only needs trimming back into the leafy growth. It sounds like a small thing, but it’s what keeps them compact and productive for years longer than they’d otherwise manage,’ he adds.
Hydrangea is another popular plant that regularly needs pruning. While it can be tempting to chop and change the whole plant during its dormancy, Julian says they want a much lighter hand — but many of us get it wrong.
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‘On mophead and lacecap varieties, just take off the old flowerheads and any dead wood, and leave last year’s stems well alone,’ he explains. ‘This year’s flowers come from those stems, so if you cut too hard, you’re cutting away the blooms before they’ve even had a chance.’
Colin Potts, a gardening expert, agrees, adding: ‘Popular mophead and lacecap varieties (Hydrangea macrophylla) flower on old wood, meaning winter and early spring pruning can wipe out summer blooms entirely. In these cases, gardeners should limit winter work to removing only dead or damaged stems.’
Heading outside to tick off some jobs? Make sure to stay clear of these mistakes…
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