During the winter months, gardening tasks can easily be forgotten until the days get longer and temperatures improve.
However, there are certain tasks, like pruning, that need to be done now to ensure your garden is in good shape when spring arrives.
Paul Hicks, product and marketing manager at STIHL GB, has shared which plants need to be pruned in February.
He said: “[An] important gardening job at this time of year is pruning. Roses, wisteria, deciduous shrubs and fruit bushes should all be pruned in winter.
“Secateurs are the most popular tool for this and are great all-rounders when it comes to pruning shrubs and flowers.”
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Roses
Roses need to be pruned in late winter (February or March) to encourage strong growth in spring and summer.
When pruning roses, gardeners should not make cuts of more than 5mm above a bud and should make sure their cuts are angled to stop water collecting which can cause disease.
Gardeners also need to prune back any dead and diseased stems as well as crossing stems.
Wisteria
Wisteria needs to be pruned in January or February when the plant is completely dormant and then again in July or August.
When pruning the plant in winter, cut back the shoots so there are two or three buds on the shoot.
Cutting wisteria back at this time of year allows the plant to concentrate its energy on creating flowers in the spring and summer months.
If your wisteria is looking messy, gardeners can cut down all the branches to the main stem or down to the ground to encourage the plant to grow new, strong branches.
According to Thompson & Morgan, pruning wisteria in winter “encourages the production of flower buds and ensures that the flowers won’t be obscured by leaves”.
Deciduous shrubs
Deciduous shrubs are woody plants that are known for their colourful displays in the autumn.
Deciduous shrubs such as magnolias and barberrys, need to be pruned in the winter months to control their growth.
Winter is also a great time to completely renovate deciduous shrubs to revive them for the upcoming season.
Deciduous shrubs should not be pruned in the summer months as they may not have enough food reserves to survive.
Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and managing director of Hedges Direct said gardeners need to prune deciduous shrubs that have flowered over winter. He said: “It’s best to prune winter flowering shrubs straight after they have bloomed to give the shrub plenty of time to regrow in the summer – bear in mind the exact time of year for pruning will vary from species to species.
“Pruning helps to promote plant growth for the year by removing dead and diseased branches and to encourage the formation of new and healthy shoots.”
Winter-flowering species that can benefit from pruning in February include Viburnum x bodnantense “Dawn” and Daphne mezereum.
Fruit bushes
Fruit bushes, canes and vines should be pruned in the winter. Side shoots need to be cut back to just one or two new buds.
Soft fruit bushes can be pruned down to ground level this month to encourage new growth in spring.
