Gardeners urged to prune 5 plants in August 'before it's too late'

Gardeners are being urged to start shearing away at these five plants – or risk producing lacklustre growth the following year.

As the weather continues to heat up and the sun blazes, more Brits are spending time outside – which means you want your garden looking as well-maintained as possible. Aside from the usual mowing, watering and weeding, a task which is often overlooked when it comes to gardening is pruning.

Pruning is one of a gardener’s most important tasks when it comes to keeping plants healthy. By cutting away dead, wilting or excess blooms, branches and leaves, you help redirect energy and resources back to the plant.

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It also helps bushes and trees keep their shape. This in turn prevents them from growing out of control and taking over large swathes of your garden.

When it comes to flowers, pruning also encourages them to produce fresh blooms and can lead to a more vibrant appearance. In turn, it will help your garden maintain a lush summer look.

Another important benefit of pruning is that it can help curb disease by cutting away afflicted parts of the plant. This way, you can help stop the spread.

So, which plants should be pruned back in August? According to a gardening expert, there are five plants in particular that you should pay attention to this month.

Lavender

Richard Barker, a gardens expert and commercial director at LBS Horticulture, told Country Living: "When left alone, lavender can become woody, so it will need to be pruned in late summer after flowering has finished to keep the plant compact.”

Hydrangea

Richard advised that climbing hydrangeas should be pruned in summer, once it has finished flowering. This way, the plant will have had enough time to develop flowering wood for the following year.

Wisteria

According to Richard, wisteria should be pruned twice a year – once in July or August and once in January or February. While it can be left to ramble, pruning at these times helps the plant flower “more freely and regularly”.

Roses

Rambling roses should cut back in summer once they’ve produced flowers and hips, as per Richard. They can be pruned at any point up until late autumn or winter.

Apple and pear trees

Richard advised that apple and pear trees grown in restricted form should be pared back in summer, and that the plant will be ready to prune “when the bottom third of its new shoots are stiff and woody, with pears ready before apples.”