Hold Off on Pruning Most Plants Right Now—Except These 5
Most plants are better left alone in midsummer—but these exceptions are still safe to prune.
You’re harvesting a bumper crop of vegetables, and your cutting garden is in full bloom. While you can’t slack off on weeding and watering in midsummer, you can slow down on one of your other garden chores: Pruning.
There are many reasons to prune plants. “Pruning is not necessarily required for a plant to thrive, but it can benefit many plants in a few ways,” says Justine Kandra, horticulturist for the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “Removing damaged, diseased, or pest-infested growth can help a plant make a full recovery. Pruning is also used to shape and redirect growth, limit size, and improve flowering or fruiting.”
Midsummer is one of those times when pruning should be limited. “Pruning must always be selective and intentional,” says Colin Kirk, the Marjorie G. Rosen Manager of Outdoor Gardens at the New York Botanical Garden. “You don’t prune just because you haven’t done it yet this season. Pruning also opens up wounds that may be vulnerable to pests or viral or fungal infection, particularly if it’s a wet summer. Only prune what is essential.”
The truth is that most plants shouldn’t actually be pruned in the heat of summer. “Usually, we recommend avoiding pruning during the hottest parts of the summer to reduce the amount of stress the plant is under,” says Kandra. “Pruning creates wounds that the plant has to heal, and will also encourage new growth at a time when water may be limited.”
It also comes down to personal preference. “Formal gardens need extensive pruning to maintain their design integrity; naturalistic gardens need less pruning, but choosing plants that are the right size for their location in the garden will reduce the amount of pruning to do,” says Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture, Chicago Botanic Garden. “I do not do much pruning in my own garden, which is a naturalistic style. The amount of pruning required for different gardens will likely vary considerably depending on the owner’s plant choices and aesthetic goals for the garden.”
Read on to learn what our experts say it’s still okay to prune in midsummer:
Hedge Plants
By now, hedge plants such as boxwoods, taxus, and yews have flushed out their new growth and hardened off. So, if you want to shape them for form or size, you still can safely prune. However, remember that if boxwoods are pruned too close to the first frost, the new growth that emerges after pruning will not have enough time to harden off. Do it now or it will be too late. Also, use hand pruners to take more selective cuts, not electric shears.
Perennials That Bloom in Early Summer
A midsummer cutback will encourage a flush of new growth and blooms for some herbaceous perennials, such as salvia, catmint, and wormwood. If they’re past their prime flowering period, go ahead and trim them up to encourage additional blooms.
Roses
Many types of roses, such as shrub roses, benefit from a summer pruning to encourage a second big flush. Rambling roses, which have long canes and typically only one big bloom in June, also can be pruned now if they’re in need of a trim.
Spring-Blooming Shrubs (Only in the Most Northern Climates)
It’s too late to prune spring-blooming shrubs such as lilacs or forsythia in many parts of the country—except for regions far north. Go ahead and prune these now if they need shaping, but only if you live in the most northern parts of the country. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait to prune until next year, immediately after they’ve bloomed, or you’ll remove the following year’s spring bloom.
Damaged Plants or Plants That Are a Safety Risk
Don’t wait to prune if you see a plant that seems hazardous, such as a tree limb dangling over your driveway or a branch that keeps getting in the way when you’re trying to mow. Go ahead and prune right away, and don’t worry about waiting until the “ideal” time. Safety is always first. For larger limbs or trees, consult an arborist.
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