Get your shrubs in shape
They’re the vital backbone of most plots – and now is the time to give them some TLC
THEY are the backbone of our summer beds and borders, so neglect late-flowering shrubs at your peril. If you forget to prune, feed or improve their growing conditions, then many warm- weather stalwarts are unlikely to possess the kind of looks that will impress anyone in a few months’ time.
Left to their own devices, shrubs will often outgrow their allotted space or become tall and lanky, flowering poorly at the tips of their branches. The attractive silhouette of a well-tended shrub is lost for an amorphous shape, while a mass of closely congested shoots make plants vulnerable to diseases.
Fortunately, late winter is the perfect time to get shrubs in shape for the season ahead. As plants are still dormant, pruning now will result in a flush of fresh growth when sap starts to rise in spring. Without leaves to get in the way, it’s easier to prune deciduous shrubs as you can see their entire framework.
Of course, shrubs that are about to burst into life – and have been given a short back and sides, or maybe pruned a little more drastically – will benefit from extra attention. Feeding, mulching, weeding and tweaking the soil around them will ensure they get off to the best start possible.
There are a host of deciduous shrubs that can be pruned in winter. Among them are tree mallows, spiraeas, caryopteris, dogwoods, snowberries, ornamental elders and the many varieties of buddleja davidii. It’s also a good time to tackle roses, such as hybrid teas, climbers and English shrub roses.
All of these shrubs carry flowers on new shoots, produced as plants wake up in spring.
Deciduous shrubs that flower in spring and early summer tend to bloom on wood generated the previous year. These should be pruned soon after flowering t o avoid removing latent buds.
As a rule, it’s best to wait until April or May to tackle evergreen shrubs. This will ensure that any sappy, tender growth that is stimulated by pruning is not damaged by a late frost. If shrubs are in flower at this time, leave pruning until blooms start to fade.
Before cutting anything, make sure you select the right tools for the job. A pair of bypass secateurs are ideal for shoots up to pencil thickness, while loppers are best for slightly thicker branches. A hand-held pruning saw will make light work of thicker material.
Whatever you are pruning, start by removing the three Ds – dead, diseased and dying wood. Take out all of the thin, wispy shoots, and the odd, older branch to ease congestion. All of this will help to improve the health of the shrub by increas- ing the amount of light and air that t can reach the centre.
The aim is to end up with a shrub b that possesses an open, vase-like e shape, more slender at the bottom m than at the top. Prune wayward d stems that spoil its outline and cut t back branches that cross or rub b against each other.
Always prune back to an out- - ward-facing bud to encourage new shoots to grow away from the centre of the plant. Use a 45-degree cut, slanted away from the bud.
Some plants can be given tougher treatment. Buddleias can easily reach 15ft or more with flowers held well out of sight. Keep them compact by cutting all shoots back to leave two buds above darker, older growth. Reduce the height of shrub roses by a third and shorten side shoots to two or three buds. The foliage of smoke bushes (cotinus), Melianthus major and colourful elders tends to lose its lustre if plants are allowed to grow too large. However, it is possible to restore their brilliance by pruning hard. Cut all branches to within 18in of the ground and plants will respond with a flush of new stems. To ensure plants flourish after a pruning, remove weeds from f the ground and gently fluff fl up soil with a fork. Scatter slow-release sl fertiliser granules over ov the surface, followed by a 2in 2i layer of garden compost, l lee af mould orwell-rotted manure. m Leave a gap around plants pl to prevent the materials from fr softening bark.
Start with the three Ds – prune diseased, dead or dying wood