As we transition from summer to autumn, your garden requires some extra attention. Many of your standout plants will start to fade in the coming weeks, so it’s crucial to manage them now to prevent the spread of fungal diseases across your garden.
Certain fast-growing plants will also benefit from a pre-autumn prune to maintain their shape during the colder months and minimise potential damage.
With the onset of autumn and winter, there’s plenty of work to be done, and you might be unsure where to begin. Here’s a comprehensive guide on which plants to prioritise for pruning this month.
Roses
Pruning rose bushes, particularly those sprawling across your garden walls, can be highly beneficial towards the end of summer. If your roses are relatively young, only a couple of years old, rigorous and precise pruning may not be necessary.
However, older growths require more attention, especially at the base where the plant tends to grow more quickly. When pruning your rose bushes, make sure to remove any stems showing signs of weakness or disease.
Depending on the variety of roses in your garden, take care not to remove any buds as they could be repeat flowering.
Rosemary
Rosemary shrubs can be quite fragile, particularly at this time of year. It’s crucial to let any new rosemary growths harden off before winter sets in – a process that can take up to eight weeks in some instances.
The consensus among gardeners is that when pruning rosemary, one should never remove more than a third of the plant as this could halt further growth. Additionally, it’s important to avoid cutting into old, woody or bare stems as this could also hinder regrowth.
Wisteria
Pruning wisteria before autumn can significantly enhance its flowering efficiency. It’s particularly crucial to prune your wisteria before the weather changes in September to ensure the plant flourishes next summer.
When trimming your wisteria, concentrate on reducing any summer growth to about six buds from the main stem. This is also an opportunity to get rid of any damaged or dead branches.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle usually completes its blooming by late summer. This period provides a good chance to eliminate any damaged, diseased or dead stems.
You should also aim to cut back the flowered shoots by approximately one-third to encourage blooming next year. However, make sure you don’t remove any new shoots as this could inhibit healthy flowering next year.
Climbing Hydrangea
When it comes to pruning climbing hydrangeas, your attention should be on a light tidy up, primarily targeting any dead stems or flowers. This will prepare the hydrangeas for growth in the coming year.
Bear in mind that if you possess Bigleaf hydrangeas, they should only be pruned if absolutely essential. This is due to next year’s flowers beginning to form throughout September, and removing these will hinder blossoming.