Create a Yates account today!
Sign up to join the Yates Garden Club for monthly e-mails packed with seasonal inspiration, tips for success & exclusive promotions.
Plus if you’re a Garden Club member you can take part in the Yates Growing Community - a blog to share successes, get advice & win prizes in fun challenges along the way!
Enter the email address associated with your account, and we'll email you a new password.
Pruning isn't complicated, once you understand the three basic principles: right time, right place, right tool. These guidelines hold true, no matter what type of plant you're pruning!
Here are our three top tips, to help you make a great job of it.
There isn’t a single best time for pruning, it depends on the plant. Here are our pointers for when different types of plants prefer to be pruned:
We've kept these pruning tips concise, but if you'd like to dive into lots more detail, have a look here for our in-depth introduction to pruning.
The standard method for pruning roses, fruit trees and berries is to make pruning cuts just above an outward-facing bud, as in the picture below. This technique triggers the plant to produce new growth from the bud (this is called a heading cut). Angle your cut at 45°, so water runs off the cut.
On the other hand, if you cut right back to where the branch meets the trunk or main stem, it doesn't encourage new growth, so it's the method to use for thinning out a plant (and it's actually called a thinning cut).
Always use clean, sharp tools. Select the right-size tool for the branch you're pruning, to avoid damage to the plant and the tool.
If you're working with diseased plants, it's important to clean secateurs and other pruning tools between each plant to avoid spreading bacteria or spores between them.
As part of the pruning process, clean up any leaf litter from under trees (especially fruit trees). The dead leaves can contain fungus spores and overwintering insect pests, so they should be removed and burned.
Share
Share this article on social media