Check out which garden favourites will benefit from a trim this month
January is a great time to prune plants, because you can see their framework, which makes the job a lot easier. Read on to find out just a few of the varieties that will benefit from a prune in their dormant period, then, before you start snipping, make sure your tools are clean and sharp.
Climbers
Wisteria requires pruning twice a year. In January, the shoots that were shortened by the July pruning need to be taken back even further to two or three buds from the main stem.
It’s also a good idea to prune those climbers that could work their way into windows, gutters or door frames. These include ivy, Virginia creeper, and the climbing Hydrangea petiolaris.
Cotoneaster horizontalis can also be pruned back now to remove any shoots that disfigure its overall appearance. If you have a plant that you want to train along a wall or fence, remove any stems growing away from the support, so you end up with a neat fan shape.
Fruit trees
If you have apple or pear trees in any shape – espalier, fan, bush or cordon – prune back the leading shoots of the main branches by about a third to a half, depending on the vigour of the tree variety.
Fruit trees will continue to grow and fruit even if you don’t prune them, but the process will prevent them from producing smaller, inferior fruit as they age. It will also stop the branches becoming too congested.
