Pruning Guides

Quick Answer: What Can You Prune in January? January is prime time for pruning apple and pear trees, wisteria, roses, soft fruit bushes (gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants), grapevines, and most deciduous trees whilst they’re dormant. The bare branches make it easy to see the structure, and plants won’t bleed sap or suffer from disease as readily […]

Quick Answer: Winter pruning is best carried out from November to March on dormant deciduous plants. Prune fruit trees, roses, wisteria, and deciduous shrubs during this period to encourage vigorous spring growth, better flowering, and improved fruit production. Never prune spring-flowering shrubs, evergreens, or stone fruits in winter. Over my many years of gardening and 15 […]

Transform your berberis from an overgrown, tangled thorn bush into a spectacular garden feature with these expert pruning techniques! Whether you’re wondering when to prune your barberry, nervous about those vicious thorns, or simply seeking the best methods for deciduous versus evergreen varieties, you’ve come to the right place. Learning how to prune berberis properly […]

Transform your flowering currant from an overgrown, straggly mess into a spectacular spring showstopper with these expert Ribes pruning techniques! Whether you’re wondering when to prune your flowering currant, nervous about cutting off next year’s blooms, or simply seeking the best pruning methods, you’ve come to the right place. Learning how to prune Ribes correctly […]

Yes, winter is the best time to prune most deciduous trees. When trees are dormant (from November to late February), they heal faster, diseases are inactive, and you can clearly see the tree’s structure without leaves. However, some trees like cherries, plums and other members of the Prunus family should never be pruned in winter […]

Pruning herbaceous perennials correctly transforms your garden from a one-hit wonder to a perpetual showstopper. Most gardeners hack everything down in autumn, robbing themselves of winter interest whilst harming wildlife. The secret? Prune strategically in late winter (January to February in the UK) when plants are dormant, preserving seed heads for birds whilst ensuring vigorous […]

Sharp secateurs are the difference between gardening being a joy and being a wrist-destroying slog that damages your plants. I learned this the expensive way three decades ago when I lost an entire shrub to disease after making ragged cuts with blunt snips. The infection entered through those torn edges and killed the plant within […]

Are you staring at your Buddleja, wondering if you should reach for the secateurs? Perhaps you’ve inherited some towering, leggy butterfly bushes that look more like botanical disasters than the compact, flower-laden shrubs they should be. Maybe you’re nervous about potentially ruining this year’s butterfly magnet with an ill-timed snip, or confused by conflicting advice […]

Sometimes gardeners can get a bit trigger-happy when it comes to pruning trees, especially in winter when their actual shape of the tree is laid bare. However, did you know that cherry, plum and apricot trees (any in the prunus genus) shouldn’t be pruned in winter due to them contracting a fungus called silver leaf? […]

Every garden should have at least one tree, and when I speak to clients with tiny gardens, the apple tree is the one I recommend most frequently. Not only do apple trees provide a rich source of pollen for bees, but they are also beautiful trees for a small garden. The bonus is that with […]