- Which shrubs should I prune in spring?
- What do I have to consider when cutting in spring?
- Spring pruning for rejuvenation
There is always uncertainty about the ideal time to cut back shrubs and perennials. While fruit trees are pruned in winter, early bloomers such as forsythia only do so after flowering in late spring or early summer.
Hydrangeas are cut in early spring
Which shrubs should I prune in spring?
Shrubs that bloom in summer can be pruned in early spring. They usually bloom on the new shoots. Therefore, it makes sense to cut these shrubs really early, so they have enough time to sprout and set buds. When pruning, you can cut off all old woody shoots.
Shrubs to cut early in spring:
- Buddleia
- hydrangeas
- garden marshmallow
- broom
- bush mallow
After flowering in late spring:
- forsythia
What do I have to consider when cutting in spring?
With a so-called thinning cut, you can keep your spring and early summer flowering shrubs thriving… As early as February you can cut back all the shoots that flowered the previous year. Leave only short stubs at a time. This cut does not have to be carried out every year, but about every two to three years.
Low summer flowering plants such as cinquefoil, lavender or dwarf spirea can be cut back vigorously every spring. Trim the bushes about a hand's breadth above the ground with a pair of sharp hedge trimmers (77.00€) to encourage your bushes to bloom profusely in the new season.
Spring pruning for rejuvenation
If you have been neglecting to trim your shrubs for a number of years, then it may be time for a pruning for rejuvenation. Signs of this are a bare cover in the lower part of the bushes and a slacking bloom. If you would like to use the clippings to propagate your shrubs, then pruning them back in late spring or even in summer is recommended.
Shorten the senile shrubs about 30 to 50 centimeters above the ground. Some varieties may not flower at all or only a little in the cutting year, but all the more lavishly in the following years.
tips
Shrubs that are producing buds in autumn or winter for the coming year should not be pruned before flowering.