Four garden plants to ‘never’ prune in summer or risk ‘diminishing’ blooms

Four garden plants to ‘never’ prune in summer as it will ‘diminish’ your blooms next year (Image: Getty) When it comes to pruning , timing is vital. Pruning at the wrong time of year can have detrimental effects on the plant’s overall well-being.  Reese Robins, founder of Just Pure Gardening , explained that while pruning is a ‘crucial aspect of gardening ‘ to maintain healthy plant growth, not all plants should be pruned during the summer.  The expert has exclusively shared which plants will remain healthy if they are ‘never pruned’ in summer. He said: ‘Pruning at the wrong time can potentially harm plants and disrupt their natural growth cycle. Generally, it’s best to prune plants when they are dormant. ‘By avoiding summer pruning for these plants, you allow them to dedicate their energy to growth and recovery during the active growing season.’ When to prune your plants (Image: EXPRESS) Smokebush is admired for its unique smoky appearance and typically blooms (Image: Getty) Pruning during the dormant season encourages vigorous growth in the spring and summer and also adds to plants’ long-term health. Plants to avoid pruning now 1. Smokebush  Smokebush is admired for its unique smoky appearance and typically blooms in the spring and summer.  Pruning it during this period can ‘negatively impact’ its potential to produce flowers in the following year.  For ‘optimal growth and flowering’, Reese recommends pruning this shrub in the late winter or early spring when it is mostly dormant. Pruning hydrangeas during the summer can ‘hamper their ability to produce flowers’ (Image: Getty) 2. Hydrangea Hydrangeas are famous for their beautiful and showy blooms. However, pruning them during the summer can ‘hamper their ability to produce flowers’ in the upcoming season.  Instead, the ‘best time to prune hydrangeas’ is from late winter to late spring to maintain their growth and flowering potential. 3. Potentilla  Like the smokebush, this delightful flowering plant blooms during the seasons of spring and summer.  Reese warned: ‘Pruning it during this time can diminish its ability to produce abundant flowers next year.  Potentillas bloom during the seasons of spring and summer (Image: Getty) ‘To promote optimal flowering, it’s best to prune potentilla in the early spring or late fall after it has matured for at least three years.’ 4. Begonia  Begonias are known for their striking foliage and vibrant flowers, making them a favourite in many gardens.  However, pruning them during the summer can ‘disrupt their flowering cycle and hinder their ability to produce new blossoms’.  Gardeners should instead be focusing on deadheading spent flowers to ‘encourage continuous blooming throughout the growing season’.