Gardening seasonal maintenance: pruning and timing tips

Seasonal gardening maintenance requires specific timing to ensure healthy growth and successful harvests. For fruit trees, pruning strategies vary by species: stone fruits like cherries and apricots benefit from September pruning to aid rapid healing, whereas pome fruits such as apples and pears should be pruned in winter during their vegetative rest.

When pruning pear and chestnut trees in late summer or early autumn, gardeners can identify fruit buds by their larger, rounded shape compared to the thinner, pointed wood buds. This timing also allows wounds to heal more effectively before winter weather sets in.

Additionally, certain flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas, camellias, lilacs, and rhododendrons should not be pruned in autumn or October. Because these plants form their flower buds on the previous year's wood during the fall, late pruning can inadvertently remove the upcoming spring blooms.