Gardening expert Monty Don reveals why you should be pruning your garden NOW to make sure it’s in full bloom this year

ARE YOU green-fingered?

Well, if you like to get your hands dirty and your garden looking good, you need to listen up.

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Gardening expert Monty Don has revealed that if you want your garden to be in full bloom this Summer, then it’s seriously important you start pruning it now.

There’s no time like the present when it comes to gardening.

Don’t be put off by the freezing cold weather - put your gloves on and get out there. 

According to Monty, January is a "brilliant" month to prune flowers and fruit trees.

Monty joined BBC’s Morning Live show earlier this week for his new series Adriatic Gardens.

The series will give gardening fans a chance to see Monty Don visit stunning landscapes across Europe. 

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And now the horticulturist has shared the gardening jobs that you need to do in January, the most important one being pruning. 

The Gardeners’ World host said: “Certainly this month is a brilliant month for pruning.

“So If you’ve got an apple tree, a pear tree, roses, now is a good time to prune.

“Don’t be frightened, just cut away.”

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Monty explained that it is important to prune in January to get the best results.

He continued: “Remember what you cut now will produce vigorous growth as a result.

“If you’re trying to make something smaller you prune it in summer and if you want to make it healthier and more vigorous you prune it now.”

Monty also explained the significance of winter pruning of fruit trees in his latest blog post.

He said: “This is always my big January job and if nothing else this is something I like to have finished by the end of the month. Try to understand how something grows before pruning. 

“Does it flower on new or old wood? Does it grow new shoots in a great post flowering burst or do they steadily emerge over the season?

"Does a fruit tree need to achieve a certain maturity to create spurs that bear fruit or will they be produced in the first year of growth?

"Does the plant heal well or is it, like cherries and plums, a bleeder - and if so when does it produce the least sap?” 

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Monty stressed the importance of pruning, only when you are sure of how to do it.

He added: “If in doubt about any of this - don’t cut. Wait. You will never do harm by not pruning and patience in a garden is a great virtue.

“If you prune an apple tree hard each winter it will make a mass of new growth but no flowers – and therefore no fruit.”

Therefore, to receive the most fruit on your fruit tree, it is best avoid pruning too much.

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Monty explained: "This cycle is often perpetuated by even harder pruning the following year – to get rid of all that new, fruitless growth, which, having lots of lovely succulent sap, will attract aphids and fungal disease. 

"Through overzealous and mistimed pruning people often ruin their fruit trees. 

“If you wish to curtail growth you leave the pruning to summer - July is ideal -  when the foliage is fully grown and before the roots start to store food for winter. 

“Do not prune plums, apricots, peaches or cherries (these should be pruned in late Spring and only if absolutely necessary).”

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Meanwhile, Gardening God Monty reveals how to stop slugs and snails ruining your plants all year round.

Also, Monty leaves fans open-mouthed with this stunning garden transformation.