January is typically considered to be pruning season as many plants go dormant during this time which makes the task so much easier.
Winter pruning involves cutting back and reshaping certain plants to encourage strong healthy growth and plenty of fruit and flowers.
Also, pruning at this time can help prevent the spread of disease and some plants bleeding sap.
This month three main plants need pruning. Gardening experts Sarah Raven and Michael Parry, aka Mr Plant Geek, have shared what to prune.
1. Grape vines
Michael claimed that it’s a “good idea” to prune any grapevines while they are dormant.
As soon as the warmer weather arrives, their sap will start to rise and there is a risk “they will bleed badly” when cut.
How gardeners prune them depends on the training system they are using, but generally, they will produce fruit on the side shoots produced from last year’s growth.
However, by restricting growth and the number of shoots, gardeners should get a “better quality” crop.
2. Wisteria
Pruning wisteria is a mystery to many, and even the most experienced gardeners can have a crisis of confidence.
Remember it flowers on the shorter side shoots, so the “main job in winter” is to remove any of the “long, whippy growth” that might remain from the summer’s growth.
Sarah agreed that wisteria needs to be pruned now. She said: “Once wisteria become established, they can romp away if not kept in check.”
She suggests pruning them in two stages, so at this time of year, shoots are shortened to two or three buds along the lateral stems.
Then in summer the “long whippy growth” is shortened. Sarah claimed: “This way, you’ll contain the plant and get fantastic flowering.”
3. Roses
The majority of roses in the UK are pruned in winter before leaf buds start to swell. Sarah instructed: “Prune rose while they are dormant.”
To prune them she recommends cutting them back to just above an outward-facing bud and removing any crossing or dead and diseased branches.
While you might think they can fend for themselves without much human intervention, pruning and doing other small maintenance tasks for your roses can help them grow to their optimum potential.
