8 hours Ago By Matt Davies
A gardening expert has highlighted one type of plant that will likely "die back to the point of no return" if it's "interfered with" over winter. Pruning enables people to remove dead growth and control the size of their plants , but certain types are not well-suited to this vital gardening task over the winter. Tom Brown warned gardeners about the potential dangers of winter pruning and named a number of shrubs and trees that we should be aware of before we set about implementing "some sort of chainsaw massacre" in our gardens.
Tom told the Telegraph: "Before all this pruning-related adrenaline goes to your head and you feel like inflicting some sort of chainsaw massacre in your garden, there are several shrubs and trees that will not respond well to being pruned at this time of year. "Any tender plants, whether that be deciduous types or tender evergreens like cistus, convolvulus and lavender, will probably die back to the point of no return if they are interfered with at this time of year." He went on to say that it remains a "good" time to prune apples and pears, but you shouldn't prune cherries and plums in the winter, as they will be at risk of a disease known as silver leaf.
The RHS explains silver leaf is a fungal disease that impacts both the leaves and wood of certain trees, particularly cherries, plums, apples and apricots, leading to the 'silvering' of the leaves, and the branch subsequently dying. BBC Gardeners' World star Monty Don previously explained that winter remains the ideal time to prune certain fruit trees to ensure you have a healthy crop later. Offering up advice in one of his blog posts back in 2023, the horticulturalist shared some of his best tactics for apples, pears, and soft fruits, saying pruning fruit trees is "always" his "big January job".
However, he stressed the importance of us learning how plants grow, and revealed that it may be a better option to wait in certain cases, but there are ways to tell if your plant needs pruning. Monty advised people to have a think about the various stages of growth, considering the age of the wood on which it flowers, and if the fruit appears gradually or not. He added: "Does the plant heal well or is it, like cherries and plums, a bleeder - and if so when does it produce the least sap? If in doubt about any of this - don’t cut.
Wait. You will never do harm by not pruning and patience in a garden is a great virtue." In regards to apple and pear trees, it's recommended that you shape the tree to provide access to light and air.
Monty said you should attempt to make a "goblet-shape or a cupped hand", with the "fingers making the branches around the empty palm". Remove branches that cross and any straggly growth, and then cut any too-long or weak branches back to a bud. Monty added: "Keep standing back and reviewing the shape so that it both looks handsome and retains a strong, open structure.
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