Gardeners urged to prune certain plants in October to encourage 'maximum' growth

09 October 2023 , 14:53

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October is the ideal time for pruning some plants (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/Cavan Images RF)

Just because the colder months will soon be on their way doesn't mean that your garden still doesn't need some tender love and care. In fact, October marks the start of the dormant season which is an ideal time to prune lots of your plants.

The reason this is the perfect time to prune a variety of your flowers is doing so helps to encourage 'maximum' flowers and growth. It also improves the look of your backyard as pruning ensures there will be fewer messy shrubs and flowers. While pruning should be done throughout the year, October is the ideal time for certain shrubs in particular, such as climbing roses.

According to the Express, Gardening expert Monty Don explained in a recent blog post that climbing roses flower on shoots grown the same spring so they can be pruned hard now. "Start by removing any damaged or crossing growth or any very old wood which can be pruned right back to the ground," he said.

"The main stems should be fanned out at an equidistance as horizontally as possible, tying them to wires or a trellis. Then all the side shoots growing from these main stems, which produced this year's flowers, can be reduced to a short stub or a couple of leaves." To avoid water damage, make sure it is all tied firmly.

Parthenocissus is in the ivy family and has leaves that turn bright red and orange in autumn. The experts at Crocus said: "Boston ivy and Virginia creeper will need new shoots tying into their supports for the first couple of growing seasons after planting. Once established, prune anytime from now until Christmas to keep the plant within bounds, paying particular attention to stems that are encroaching on windows, guttering, or roofs. Old and neglected plants respond well to severe pruning and can be cut back to plump buds about 1m from the ground at this time of year."

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Buddleja davidii, also called summer lilac, butterfly-bush, or orange eye, is a species of flowering plant native to Sichuan and Hubei provinces in central China and also Japan. It is normally pruned hard in the spring, but according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), gardeners can cut it back by half now. This will help neaten the appearance of the shrub. Shrubs including Cornus alba and Lavatera can also be pruned half now, and again in spring, and you should also be pruning your peonies.

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Billie Schwab Dunn