24 June 2026

The pruning calendar: what to prune when?

Spring, summer or autumn — the right pruning moment differs per plant. The calendar professional gardeners keep to.

Spring (March-April) kicks off the season: the first shaping trim of hedges, cutting back summer-flowering shrubs and clearing what winter left behind. One exception is easy to remember: spring bloomers like forsythia and lilac are pruned only after flowering, or you cut away the flower buds.

Summer (June-August) is for the second hedge round — that keeps a trimmed hedge sharp for the rest of the season. Always check for nesting birds before you start; an occupied nest is left alone until the young have fledged. Also avoid pruning in full heat or lasting drought: it is needlessly hard on the plant.

Autumn (October-November) is the big clearing round: cutting back perennials, clearing leaves and winter-proofing the garden — the work of the autumn clean-up. Winter is in fact the moment for structural and fruit pruning on many trees and shrubs: without leaves you see the crown structure best. Just don't prune in hard frost, and know that species that 'bleed' heavily (like birch and maple) are better done in summer.

Unsure per plant? That is exactly where the professional makes the difference: the right moment differs per species, and badly timed pruning costs a year of flowering. What a pruning visit costs is listed per job in the price index.