Craig Wilson, co-founder, director and in-house gardening expert at Gardeners Dream, explained: “As the winter chill sets in, it’s time to don the gardening gloves for one of the most crucial tasks in the gardeners’ calendar, pruning.
“While the rest of the garden takes a well-deserved rest, this is the perfect opportunity to shape and prepare your plants for the upcoming spring.
“From the cascading beauty of wisteria to the classic elegance of roses, each plant requires a unique touch.
“Here are my top tips on pruning a selection of popular garden staples, ensuring they not only survive but thrive in the coming seasons.”
Clematis
Now is a great time to prune group two clematis which flower on both new and old wood, according to the pro.
He recommended making sure to remove dead or weak stems, while also cutting back any remaining stems to encourage “robust new growth and flowering”.
The pro noted: “When dealing with group three clematis, these are the ones that bloom in late summer on new growth and can be pruned back hard each year.
“You should prune them back hard in late winter. This means cutting back all the previous year’s stems to a pair of strong buds about 15cm to 30cm above ground level, which will promote a flush of new growth and a profusion of blooms.”
Roses
Gardeners should make sure to prune roses throughout the month of February as well as making sure to plant any bare-root roses.
When pruning roses, follow the rule for any other plant and remove any dead, diseased or damaged wood
Gardeners should also prune back the remaining branches to an outward-facing bud shape to promote outward growth.
Craig added: “Follow this by opening up the bush’s centre by removing any inward-growing branches.
“This will help to improve air circulation and light penetration, reducing the risk of disease and encouraging healthy blooms.”
Wisteria
Wisteria is a gorgeous trailing plant which needs regular pruning to help it bloom better throughout the growing season.
The gardening expert said: “In mid-winter, cut back the side shoots, shortened in the previous summer, to two or three buds from the base to enhance the plant structure and focus energy on the formation of spring flowers.
“You’ll then want to remove any unwanted or excessive growth, especially around windows and gutters to maintain the shape and control the size of the plant.”
