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Inheriting a garden 😃

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  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I would prune all of them. It's not what you're supposed to do and you will lose this year's fruit from the summer fruiting ones, but you'll be able to sort out, thin out and generally tidy up the whole patch, give it all a good mulch/weed, get your stakes and wires in cleanly and then start fresh, tying in the canes as they grow. You'll also be able to sort the summers from the autumns (as well as the weaker, older plants) so that next year, you'll know exactly what you're about
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree with you @raisingirl. It allows you to see the condition of a plant, especially if it's been a bit neglected, so it won't do any harm at this stage, other than losing out on fruit. It works well for all sorts of plants/shrubs.
    As @raymondkeller39 has only been in the property for a couple of weeks, it's not possible to travel back in time and prune at the optimum time.... ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    My 2nd rule of pruning is:  the best time to prune is when you are in the mood.  (This I attribute to Robin Lane Fox)

    The 1st expresses the best time for the plant, thinking flower, fruit.  The 2nd expesses the best time for the pruner.  
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • Thank you everyone 😊
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Wrongly attribute to Robin Lane Fox, as has been mentioned before.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Please correct me.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    We've done this before.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited January 2023
    I've a feeling Robin Lane Fox filched that quote from the great Christopher Lloyd ... but I've a feeling that when Christo said it there was a proviso ... 

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





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I have old gardening note books and I include quotes. Christopher Lloyd did say 'I am a great believer in doing a job when I want to do it and to hell with the consequences' I should add it is a very old note book and he may have used it more than once or slightly differently?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I remember reading something by Christopher Lloyd (in one of his books I think) where he said the best time to move a peony is when you think about it, which is a variation on the same theme.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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