Gardeners urged over popular plants that need 'attention' before winter

Pruning is a crucial task to undertake during the autumn months to prepare your plants for the harsh winter conditions.

While trimming damaged and dying heads should be a year-round activity, it becomes particularly important in the autumn. Pruning encourages healthy growth in the spring and promotes fuller, more abundant harvests. It can also prevent other plant species from growing too large and dominating a garden.

Gene Caballero, co-founder of , said: "October and November are pivotal months in the calendar, particularly when it comes to pruning." He has shared a few plants that typically "need attention" at this time of year and how to prune them. Fruit trees enter their dormant season in October.

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Fruit trees

When pruning fruit trees, thin out overcrowded branches to allow light and air into the canopy. Always ensure you remove any diseased or crossing branches, reports .

Roses

The main job for roses in the cold season is pruning. Although it may seem daunting and complex at first, it's straightforward when you follow these simple principles.

If your garden is exposed to windy conditions, it's advisable to give the roses an early prune to reduce potential damage caused by "wind rock". Gene advised: "Cut back any long or straggly growth to prevent wind rock – the action of strong winds pulling at the plant's roots."

The gardening guru highlighted that pruning is "especially crucial for bush and shrub roses". When it comes to climbing roses, the advice is to get rid of any diseased or dead stems and secure any new shoots to their support.

Summer-flowering shrubs

For those with summer-flowering shrubs like buddleja, fuchsia, and hydrangea paniculata, the tip is to prune after blooming has ceased to keep them in shape and "encourage new growth next year". Specifically for the butterfly bush, gardeners are told to "prune it hard", cutting it down to about a foot from the ground.

Perennials

For perennials such as delphiniums, lupins, and peonies, the expert advised: "Now is a good time to cut back perennials that have finished flowering. Remove old flower spikes and dead leaves to tidy up the plant and help prevent disease."

Berry-producing plants

Regarding berry-producing plants, once the fruit has been picked, the recommendation is to trim the fruiting branches back to roughly two buds above the soil, while leaving the new growth alone, as this will be where the berries will appear next season.