Prune now

Prune

Shrubs like Kolkwitzia, Weigela and mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) will have finished flowering at the end of this month and can then be pruned straightaway. Prune just above the new shoots or cut the branches down to just above ground level.

Wisteria forms many searching shoots which may extend to spots where you don’t want them to be. Cut them back to around fifteen centimetres.

On grapes cut away excessive foliage which can impede the formation of fruit and cut back shoots which have overshot.

Summer raspberries will usually have finished by the end of July. All the stems which have borne fruit can then be cut back as far as possible. Tie good new shoots (no more than fifteen per linear metre), cut back all other shoots.

Hedges can still be trimmed. The more you trim, the denser a hedge becomes. Of course this works best with a fast-growing hedge.

Remove wildshoots

Some plants can easily develop wildshoots. New shoots can then emerge from the roots anywhere nearby. Well-known examples are Staghorn Sumac, Kerria, raspberry, blackberry, sea buckthorn, all sorts of bamboos and Campsis.

Second flowering

Various perennials like lupins, Delphiniums, Salvia × superba and Achillea taygetea will give a second flowering under good conditions if they are cut back after the first flowering. Often this will be in July.