Pruning is one of the most important gardening jobs to carry out in July, aside from watering plants.
However, some gardeners struggle with knowing what to prune this month. Pruning plants at the right time is just as important as using the right methods.
To help gardeners out, gardening expert and founder of UK garden and flower blog Little Flower Cottage Andrew Connolly, has shared his thoughts on “the plants that need pruning in July to improve their flowering and overall health”.
1. Wisteria
As the UK gets to midsummer, the expert claimed that now is a “good time” to prune wisteria.
Trim back this season’s green shoots to five or six leaves from the main branch.
Doing so will control growth and also “promote more flower buds for next year”.
2. Lavender
July is “ideal” for pruning lavender after its first flowering to “encourage a second bloom”.
When asked how to go about pruning lavender, Andrew claimed: “It’s really straightforward to prune – just cut back the spent flower stalks and about an inch of the current year’s growth to keep the plants compact and bushy.”
3. Roses
For “a repeat of flowering” when it comes to roses, July is “the ideal time” for deadheading (a different version of pruning).
To do so, simply snip off the spent blooms back to the first full set of leaves.
The expert added: “You’ll be encouraging further flowering and it helps keep them looking tidy.”
4. Early summer flowering shrubs
After they’ve flowered prune these shrubs to maintain their shape. It will also “encourage healthy growth”.
To prune them, remove old wood and any branches that are crossing over to prevent crowding and disease.
5. Fruit trees
Summer pruning of apple and pear trees can be done in late July too. It will help to improve the light and air that gets into the canopy which in turn “will give you better quality fruit and reduce pest issues”.
Gardeners should focus on the non-fruiting branches and the lateral branches that get crowded and shorten back new growth on the main branches by about a third.
