YOUR PRUNING MONTH

Now, at the height of summer, Frances Tophill shows how to boost your plants' health and productivity with a timely cut

- Frances Tophill

We're in the middle of the summer pruning season. Neatening up early-summer shrubs and plants once they have finished flowering is a good task to do now so that the garden is ready for its late-summer show. It's also time to cut back trained fruit trees to help restrict growth for the next season. Drupes (stone fruits) such as Prunus, which should be trimmed now to prevent disease, can also be tackled, but be aware that you may lose some fruit.

It can also be a good time to begin working on hedges. Though old wisdom would advise pruning evergreens such as Buxus and Ligustrum in May, I like the woolly effect of the fresh spring growth if it's left a little longer. But all hedges, including box, privet and conifers like yew and cypress, can be cut back anytime between now and mid-autumn, as long as there are no nesting birds. Trimming shrubs, such as repeat-flowering roses, now may encourage a second flush of flowers during the later part of the season.

Deciduous magnolias

Magnolias that lose their leaves in winter only need pruning to keep them healthy and in shape, and mid-summer to autumn is the time to do it. Take out dead, damaged or diseased branches, as well as any that are rubbing against each other. If reshaping or reducing size, spread the cuts over a few years to reduce stressing the tree. Cut back to a natural fork.

Other plants to prune now

Summer pruning can extend the flowering season of many shrubs. Trimming off leafy growth now reduces unwanted vigour and can promote next year's flowering and fruit production.

WISTERIA This needs two prunes a year - one in late winter and one in mid-summer. Cut back long shoots to around seven buds.