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To prune or not to prune

chavverschavvers Posts: 2
in Plants

Hi

I need advice as to whether its ok to prune shurbs and plants that are still flowering now. My lavender, clemetis, Russian Ivy, gladioli, roses and many others are still in full bloom despite it being so late in the year. 

Am I still ok to prune these or should I wait. I'm worried that I'll damage the plants if I cut them too soon.

grateful for your advice!

thanks

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,115

    Lavender can be cut either as soon as flowering finishes or in spring just before new growth starts.  I've done both and they've been fine.

    Clematis get pruned according to their variety which dictates their pruning group so you'l have to be more specific but I wouldn't be pruning any now before spring except to remove unsightly dead growth on obelisks and arches and to reduce wind resistance.  I have Princess Diana, Silver moon, Sunset, Nelly Moser, Huldine, Alba Luxurians and flammula still flowering and will leave well alone till spring but Etoile Violette, Little Nell, Westerplatte, Omoshiro, Perle d'Azur, Arabella, Hendryetta, Star of India, Rahvarinne and Caerulea Luxurians have finished and started turning brown all over so they can be trimmed .  My  Red Robin and Red Ballon don't get trimmed at all as they are group 1s.

    Gadioli need to be left to die down so the foliage can feed the corms for next year's flowers.   If you're in a sheltered spot you may get away with leaving the corms in the ground but otherwise it's best to lift - once they've died down -  and store them somewhere frost free till next spring.

    Roses don't get pruned till Feb or March except to remove any long, whippy stems that may get caught by strong winds and rock the roots loose.

    If, by Russian Ivy you mean Russian Vine, I personally would prune it now and dig it up and get rid as it's a thug that will spread and swamp other plants and there are far more attractive climbers for covering walls and fences.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    I agree about the Russian Vine, also known as mile a minute. It is pretty impossible to keep it in check.image

  • DorsetUKDorsetUK Posts: 441

    Many years ago my daughter ignored my advice and planted not one Russian Vine but two.  She's moved several times since then and never planted another image

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,787

    There was a small Russian Vine in the garden of a house we bought in Suffolk - before we moved in it had pulled the downpipe and gurrering down

    There's one growing over a hedge alongside a major Norfolk road - itlooks fantastic and is wonderful cover for nesting birds ........ it now covers approximately 1/8 mile  from one end to the other!!!


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • chavverschavvers Posts: 2

    Thanks for all your advice especially you Obelixx! I've pruned some things and left others as you suggest.  The Russian Vine I've had for years. It currently graces the entrance to our garden and so far I manage to keep it in check with a hack right down to the ground usually around now. So far its been fine - I have more issues with the old blackberry bush throwing up shoots in my lawn even though its not in the ground anymore! 

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