July pruning is ‘essential’ to ‘encourage’ more flowers and a second bloom - what to prune
Pruning in July is "essential" for maintaining a "healthy and blossoming" summer garden, according to an expert.
Pruning is a crucial gardening job which is done throughout the year, depending on what needs to be pruned.
July pruning is especially important in ensuring your garden stays thriving throughout the hottest months of the year.
According to an expert, hydrangeas, wisteria and roses are all plants which can be pruned this month.
Nadezhda Yaneva, gardening and plant expert at Fantastic Gardeners, told Express.co.uk: “Start by pruning hydrangeas and removing spent blooms to encourage new flowers.
“You can also prune wisteria by cutting back whippy green shoots to about five or six leaves to promote better flowering next year.”
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When it comes to roses, the expert recommended deadheading repeat-flowering roses to “encourage more blooms”, and making sure to prune back to just above a leaf node.
The expert added: “About the clematis for late-flowering varieties, prune to remove dead or weak growth.
“Consider also herbaceous perennials like lavender - lightly prune after flowering to maintain shape and encourage bushy growth, avoiding cutting into old wood.
“For the delphiniums and lupins, remove spent flower spikes to potentially encourage a second flush of flowers and for fruit trees and bushes.”
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Climbers and vines are also “crucial” for July gardening, according to the gardening expert.
Trim back the grapevine’s side shoots to about five leaves to concentrate the plant’s energy on fruit production.
The plant pro noted: “Honeysuckle is lightly pruned after flowering to maintain shape and encourage new growth.
“For the hedges and topiary-like box trim to maintain the desired shape and prevent legginess. Privet and yew can be trimmed to keep neat and encourage dense growth.”
As well as this, apple and pear trees need summer pruning to restrict growth and improve fruit quality.
Gardeners should focus on thinning out overcrowded areas and removing dead or diseased branches for the best flowering.
Stone fruits, such as cherries and plums, must be pruned after harvesting to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease.
Whenever this is, gardeners should prune out old fruited canes of raspberries and blackberries to promote new growth for the following year.
The expert continued: “Deadhead annual flowers like marigolds, cosmos, and petunias regularly to keep them flowering.
“Ensure pruning shears and other tools are clean to prevent the spread of disease and prune in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day, which can stress plants.”
