To prune or not to prune, that is the question that many gardeners ask themselves throughout the year. The thought of taking sharp secateurs or pruning shears to plants can seem brutal, but it is vital to ensure your garden is ready for the winter ahead and in tip top shape for spring.
Here is my guide to autumn pruning:
The first thing you need to be thinking about is to cut back your hardy perennial plants to keep them tidy and to help to stop excess foliage being damaged by the frosty days to come. For autumn pruning in my garden this means removing the dead stems and flower heads from my Rudbeckia, Echinacea and Verbena. You can remove all the foliage, but as I am trying to encourage biodiversity in my garden, I will be leaving some of the head on as the seeds are important for birds to feed on over the winter. As well as some seed heads for the birds, you can also leave some stems uncut (Echinacea and Rudbeckia have thick, course stems) to provide shelter for insects and invertebrates.
In my autumn garden, the roses are still flowering so regular deadheading is required to keep the blooms coming. Most roses need to be pruned later in the winter or early spring (March) to stimulate new growth, however for large shrub roses and climbers, it might be a good idea to cut back any long stems to avoid breakage in strong autumn winds. The only rose that is a candidate for autumn pruning is a rambling rose and this should be cut back in late summer or autumn once it has finished flowering. Cut out all the dead wood, any damaged or diseased stems and any stems that are crossing or rubbing to reduce the risk of disease and encourage air circulation. Remove some of the main stems back to a strong branch and shorten side shoots by about two thirds.
Deciduous trees and shrubs that flower from November-June can be pruned immediately after flowering as flower buds are not formed on new growth but on existing branches. You can prune stems which have flowered back to a strong upright shoot and remove any older branches which have not flowered strongly.
Finally, autumn pruning is important for Peonies, particularly herbaceous peonies, which should be cut to ground level to reduce the risk of infection from peony wilt disease. Ideally wait until at least the second week in October and then using sharp secateurs cut back the flower and stem to about 2.5cm from the base of the stem. Tree peonies do not need to be cut back in this way – just remove the faded seed heads during the autumn after you have collected any seeds for propagating. Over time tree peony stems may become ‘leggy’ so cut them back by a third during your autumn pruning to encourage bushier growth.
Tools and Autumn pruning
Autumn pruning is vital to maintain plant health so your pruning tools must be in good condition:
- Pruning blades and knives should be cleaned to remove any ingrained dirt or sap using soapy water and wire wool or brush. Make sure tools are thoroughly dry before use.
- To ensure disease is not spread between plants you can sterilise your pruning blades using Jeyes fluid or similar – leave for up to 20 minutes before wiping off
- Tools can be sharpened by using an oiled honing stone in one direction across the tool’s bevelled edge.
- Remember to store your tools in a dry shed, garage or similar (off the floor) to prevent any moisture and rust building up.
For more information about autumn pruning or to discuss the help you need in your garden, please get in touch.
