Monty Don has named one type of plant that he tends to prune in October and November, but he doesn’t “touch many of them again”. In an extensive piece for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine on autumn and winter pruning, Monty revealed he has a “philosophy” when it comes to cutting back at his sprawling Longmeadow garden.
It’s a case of cutting the offending plant back if it “doesn’t look good” or requires “propping up” to maintain its appearance. Monty went on to share his tactic for one type of plant in particular. He described how he gives them a “quick clip” with the shears this month or next in an effort to remove excess growth, but it’s important to note that this is all “many of them” will see for the rest of the year.
The expert wrote: “Our shrub roses get a quick clip with shears in October or November to remove any excess growth, and I don’t touch many of them again – that quick clip is all they get for the year.
He continued: “For any that have grown a bit leggy or are getting older, I will go over them with a pair of secateurs in February to remove some old growth. We also prune climbing roses in autumn or late winter, cutting back to a framework from which sideshoots will flower.”
Monty noted that it’s useful to identify if your roses flower on new or old growth so you can establish a “pruning regime”. He pointed out that rambling roses bloom on old, meaning you won’t have flowers in the summer if you hard prune in February.
If you do so, you will see healthy growth, but Monty stressed that you won’t see any new flowers. He then highlighted varieties of roses that flower on new growth.
He added: “Shrub roses, all hybrid tea roses, climbing roses and floribunda roses all flower on new growth, so can be pruned hard in March, and you’ll still get flowers in the summer.”
In related news, Monty has also revealed when we should stop mowing the lawn before the cold winter months set in. According to him, it’s best to keep cutting the grass for “as long as it keeps growing”.
It’s also preferable to keep your grass “too long than too short” over winter. Monty added that you should use a rake to remove any thatch and moss before adding it to your compost heap.
Speaking to Ideal Homes, Chris McIlroy, an in-house lawn seed expert at The Grass People, noted that cutting your grass too short leaves it “vulnerable” to the cold weather over winter.
He added: “We advise gardeners to keep their grass around 2.3 to 3 inches tall during the winter months. This length provides enough surface area for photosynthesis while preventing snow mould and root damage from setting in.”