Pruning is one of the most important ways to keep plants healthy, shapely and full of flowers.
As this horticultural job enhances a garden's structure and stops the spread of disease, it can be the difference between a thriving, bountiful space and an overgrown, decaying one.
But knowing how much to cut back is key. Do it too much and you risk starving the plant, reducing its ability to produce food by photosynthesis, but prune too little and you're left with an overgrown mess – not to mention lower yields.
We asked gardening guru Richard Barker, of LBS Horticulture, for his top tips, as well as recommendations for those that require a light and hard prune – and when to do this.
What is the difference between a light and a hard prune?
Light pruning usually refers to the regular maintenance carried out to keep plants looking neat without putting them under too much stress. This involves removing dead wood, trimming crossing stems, light shaping and deadheading.
Richard tells Country Living: "During light pruning, you should never remove more than a third of the plant."
Whereas hard pruning is often saved for when light pruning is no longer enough, such as when a plant is overgrown, has a lot of woody stems, is not producing as many flowers or is beginning to crowd out nearby plants, explains Richard.
This involves cutting a plant back more, sometimes even to the ground.
He adds: "Although it can look severe, some plants respond well to hard pruning and it is best performed in early spring before plants enter their growing season, as they will be able to put out new shoots."
Which flowers and plants fall into each category?
A light prune is done with the intention to remove light, whippy shoots. Whereas with a heavy prune, the object is to give the plant a fresh start by diverting energy into younger, healthier stems.
It's worth pointing out that some plants require both a light and heavy prune. These tend to fall into two categories: repeat-flowering shrubs and perennials that require ongoing maintenance, and overgrown woody shrubs needing rejuvenation.
Below, Richard suggests a few plants and their pruning preferences, as a general rule of thumb...
Light pruning:
Mediterranean shrubs – shrubs such as lavender and rosemary benefit from being lightly pruned after they have flowered to stop the plant from becoming woody or leggy, which helps to keep them compact and can extend their lifespan.
Trained fruit trees – pinching out the soft, green shoots of trained fruit trees can help to keep their size under control and increase the amount of sunlight that reaches the centre of the plant, promoting better fruit production.
Climbers – lightly tidying climbing plants after flowering removes dead or congested growth, and helps to ensure that they do not grow out of their designated space.
Hard pruning:
Butterfly bush (buddleja) – butterfly bush flowers on new wood, so it can be cut back close to the ground every year to promote large flower spikes.
Smooth and panicle hydrangeas – as these hydrangeas flower on new wood, they can be cut back harder. Cutting the plant down to a low framework each year helps to encourage more flowers.
Group 3 Clematis – group 3 Clematis flower in late summer on new growth. In early spring, the stems can be cut back to strong buds around 30cm from the ground.
Things that need a light or hard prune in June:
Pruning is a key gardening job for June – especially for better summer displays. Below, Richard recommends adding the following plants to your pruning list this month.
Deciduous magnolia – deciduous magnolia can be lightly pruned in June after it has flowered to remove any dead, diseased or crossing branches.
Rhododendron – rhododendron can be deadheaded after flowering has finished, as this keeps the plant tidy and helps it direct its energy towards new growth. The plant can be lightly shaped, but avoid hard pruning as this can impact the following year's display.
Rosemary – after the main flowering period has ended, remove any dead or damaged growth from rosemary. The rest of the shrub can be lightly pruned to keep its shape and size compact.
Weigela – prune weigela after flowering, cutting the flowered stems down to just below the flowers. Some older stems can be cut down to the ground if needed.
Wisteria – cut back long, vigorous shoots to a few buds from the base of the current season's growth. If your wisteria is older, you can prune side shoots back to the framework of strong shoots."
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