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Is it best not to prune in heat and drought conditions?

joanna.crawfordjoanna.crawford Posts: 6
in Problem solving
My small garden is looking rather overgrown and shrubs such as spirea, jasmine, pyracantha, wisteria and philadelphus could do with taming back a little. It is very hot here in Hertfordshire and we haven't had any rain for weeks, and with none forecast for the next couple of weeks. I am not sure whether it is best to leave the pruning for now, in case I would shock to the already suffering plants? By leaving them bigger perhaps the branches are shading the ground and stopping it dry out even further. Or, would it be best to prune so the plant is smaller and requires less moisture to sustain it? Any ideas?

AnnaJo

Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    You can summer prune plants now, if you want to reshape them but I'd be wary of going in hard and, as you say, removing shade from their roots. Reducing the crowns can help because fewer leaves transpiring means the plant needs less water. But I wouldn't overdo it.

    I'm generally not cutting herbaceous plants hard back as I normally would be now. Bare soil allows much faster evaporation, so better I think to leave ground cover in place for the time being, even if it looks a bit scruffy.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    I've been pruning the whippy tendrils off my wisteria and have seen no ill effects.
  • joanna.crawfordjoanna.crawford Posts: 6
    :) Thank you for your advice. I won't overdo it then...it is too hot to do much anyway!

    AnnaJo

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