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4 plants to prune before the end of May to ‘encourage a second flush’ of flowers in summer


Pruning plants, flowers and trees helps to encourage flowering for longer as well as promote new growth.

It is crucial to get the time of pruning right, and many plants can be pruned in May as they would have stopped flowering by now or are about to start.

May is a prime time for nesting, however, so make sure you are not disturbing any nests before you get the secateurs out.

Choisya

Hillier garden centre recommended pruning back the stems by 30cm immediately after flowering in spring.

They said this would “encourage a second flush” of flowers later on in the year.

If growth is spindly, prune back by up to a third, making sure to check for nests first, delaying if you find one.

Hibiscus

Hiller garden centre said gardeners should prune back young plants hard in late spring ahead of the new flowering season.

However, established plants will require minimal pruning at this time of year.

When pruning hibiscus plants, they should be cut about a third of the way back, leaving at least two to three nodes on the branches for new growth.

Clematis

The RHS said: “Prune overcrowded, dead or diseased stems of Clematis Montana once it has finished flowering.

“Untangling the stems can be fiddly, but once you see where you are cutting, you need not worry about pruning this plant, it will take even hard cutting back very well.”

Lavender

Lavender can be pruned at different times of the year, but depending on the variety, May is a great time.

There are a couple of popular varieties of lavender commonly grown in the UK, including English and French.

Both will need pruning, but the English variety tends to be more hardy, meaning it can be left outside throughout the year.

Pruning lavender plants will encourage better flowering and ensure they don’t become leggy and weak.

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