I’m a gardening expert and pruning is vital the the health of your plants – here’s why and how to do it right
SUMMER is already full of gardening jobs.
From planting new blooms to mowing your lawn, any keen gardener's to-do list is already pretty full.
But according to , there's one summer task that always gets overlooked.
It's easy to forget to prune your plants and bushes when your lawn looks totally dead, but once everything else is in order it's important to prune.
The pros explained, "By pruning in summer, you can reap the rewards of better displays from ornamental plants, you’ll also encourage bigger crops from fruit trees and bushes.
"Removing new summer growth before it turns woody reduces growth-promoting nitrogen, allowing potassium to build up – and more potassium means more flowers and fruit.
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"You’ll also keep plants, such as shrubs, climbers and rambling roses, within bounds and maintain an attractive shape."
Hedges
It's important to prune hedges and topiary to maintain a neat shape and prevent them becoming unruly.
You can do this with a simple pair of hand shears, the gardening experts recommend.
They explained: "Clip slow-growing beech, hornbeam or box at the start and end of the summer.
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"Trim fast-growing privet every six weeks.
"You could also use secateurs or topiary shears for small hedges."
Climbers
If you've got any climbers in your garden they'll probably also need to be pruned to "stop their growth getting out of control and stopping them outgrowing their allotted space."
This includes plants like wisteria, jasmine and honeysuckle.
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"Prune back trailing stems, leaving just three to four leaves on the current season’s growth."
They gardening experts added: "Then train in new growth to ensure there’s an even spread of flowers."
Shrubs
First of all, spring flowering shrubs need to be pruned, the pros explained that "shrubs that flower on stems formed in the previous year need to be pruned in summer, after flowering."
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Tender shrubs also need to be pruned, since they could be damaged by any late frosts.
This includes abutilion, outdoor fuchsias and hibiscus sinosyriacus.
