'Hard' pruning that needs to be done now to ensure plants thrive next year
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As the days shorten and leaves fall, it's high time to sharpen those secateurs for winter pruning. Gardening experts stress the importance of this season for trimming back plenty of plants that have taken the spotlight in summer beds. To stave off any fungal foes, it’s essential to deal with scruffy stems and overgrowth once their bloom has faded.
The green-fingered icon Monty Don is zeroing in on climbing roses, revealing on his blog that now's the moment for gardeners to get snipping. He advised: "Climbing roses flower on shoots grown the same spring so they can be pruned hard now.". But he cautioned against confusion - ramblers and climbers aren’t the same! While climbers get a strict cutting now, rambling roses are best pruned post-flowering, as they blossoms on last year's growth.
When tackling climbing roses, begin by banishing dead or disorderly stems, going all the way to ground level if needed, reports the Express. Create an elegant spread by evenly spacing main stems horizontally and attaching them to wires or trellises. The spurs sprouting from these, which delighted us with blooms, need to be downsized to just a few leaves.
Not only does this make your rose bush look neat, but it also guards against winter woes. And if you miss this slot, don't fret—the RHS gives the thumbs up for a winter prune anytime between December and February. The RHS also shared a key tip for rejuvenating plants: "If the plant is heavily congested, cut out any really old branches from the base to promote new growth.".
