1 day Ago By Sophie Harris
Pruning is an important gardening job in spring, helping to encourage blooms for the growing season ahead. However, it can be hard to know what to prune in April, but according to an expert, four plants should be prioritised this month. Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and managing director of Hedges Direct, said: “As we come into April, our gardens are showing visible signs of new life and fresh growth.
The arrival of milder temperatures and sunny spells can also bring April showers, setting the perfect conditions to nurture outdoor spaces for the months ahead. “With spring comes a growing list of gardening jobs, and this month is prime time to prune, fertilise your shrubs, and tend your lawn.” Although rose bushes should have been cut back ahead of the growing season, Jamie said you can prune as late as early April, especially if it’s been a cold March.
The expert added: “The challenge is to wait until the last frost has passed before tending to roses to prevent damage to freshly cut branches whilst trying to get to them before new blooms appear.” Pruning common hydrangeas in early spring will “encourage big blooms” later in the summer. If flower heads have been left intact over winter, these can now be deadheaded down to the younger buds in April.
Jamie said: “This form of light pruning is usually best for newly planted or unestablished hydrangeas as well as the macrophylla, aspera, serrata and quercifolia varieties. Other types, like hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea arborescens, can tolerate a stronger prune. “Deadhead last year’s flowers and trim the old stems by a third to a quarter.
Wait to prune any climbing hydrangeas in summer once they have flowered.” If you didn’t cut your lavender back in late summer, April is the best time to prune them. Deadhead old flowers and cut back to just above the lowest new bud on each stem.
The gardening expert explained that gardeners should avoid cutting into older, woody branches as they can struggle with new growth. Jamie continued: “Established dogwood should be pruned in April for a vibrant winter display as it gets its colour from new growth. “It’s a sturdy hedge plant and will thrive even after a severe pruning.
Before new buds appear, cut stems back by a third and try to keep them five to 20cm above the soil. “This might sound like a lot, but dogwood is known for its quick growth, so rest assured that a harsh prune will reward you with stronger and brighter stems.”.
