Gardening Calendar
Gardening Calendar
JANUARY
January is when climbers, shrubs and trees are leafless and in their dormant period and one of the best gardening months for pruning any garden subjects that could cause problems during winter storms and high winds. Wisteria is a good example of a climber that can be pruned now. After flowering the previous season and given a summer pruning it produces long wispy new growths that need to be controlled by cutting back. Either summer or winter pruning and whichever plant or shrub you are pruning the first step is to remove any dead or damaged branches.
JANUARY
January is when climbers, shrubs and trees are leafless and in their dormant period and one of the best gardening months for pruning any garden subjects that could cause problems during winter storms and high winds. Wisteria is a good example of a climber that can be pruned now. After flowering the previous season and given a summer pruning it produces long wispy new growths that need to be controlled by cutting back. Either summer or winter pruning and whichever plant or shrub you are pruning the first step is to remove any dead or damaged branches.
JANUARY
January is when climbers, shrubs and trees are leafless and in their dormant period and one of the best gardening months for pruning any garden subjects that could cause problems during winter storms and high winds. Wisteria is a good example of a climber that can be pruned now. After flowering the previous season and given a summer pruning it produces long wispy new growths that need to be controlled by cutting back. Either summer or winter pruning and whichever plant or shrub you are pruning the first step is to remove any dead or damaged branches.
Pruning Privet - Ligustrum
Privet is a shrub with an erect, vertical growing habit and a natural hedge shape, making it an ideal subject for planting as a hedge in the garden.
Privet can be trimmed as soon as it starts to grow in spring. This should preferably be repeated every six weeks during the growing season. In any case, privet should be trimmed before it loses its leaves in autumn, otherwise it may grow very rapidly the next spring, making pruning far more difficult.
If a privet is old and neglected, it can be pruned drastically to rejuvenate it. If necessary it can be cut down to approximately 25 cm.
If a variegated privet starts to develop plain green leaves, these branches can be removed completely. However, you should not cut down the entire shrub. Although the plain green varieties are not usually bothered by such drastic pruning, this may cause a variegated privet to lose its colourful characteristics completely and only produce green leaves from then onwards.