Experts say these are the plants you should prune in June to get your garden in shape for summer

Let’s be honest; June is a busy month for gardeners. The start of the meteorological summer sees plant lovers waking up to new blooms every single day, but it’s important to note that many plants need to be pruned in June. So, make sure you give them a much-needed chop.

Yes, while you may be focusing on what to plant in June or being distracted by the blooms of summer bulbs popping up all over the place, part and parcel of keeping your garden ideas in check is keeping on top of pruning. And while there’s not a huge amount to be pruned in June, there are still a few plants, shrubs, and trees that need some TLC.

To help you keep up with your pruning exploits, we’ve jotted down all the info you need to know about pruning in June. You can thank us later.

Things to prune in June

‘Midsummer is recommended for pruning some plants, shrubs and trees,’ explains Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries. ‘It very much depends on what you are growing and also ensuring there aren’t any nesting birds in anything you intend to prune.’ So, here’s your June to-do list.

Morris Hankinson

Morris Hankinson is the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd, the UK’s only specialist grower-retailer of hedging plants. He established the thriving business in 1992, shortly after graduating with a Commercial Horticulture Degree from Writtle College, Essex.

1. Wisteria

With its romantic, Bridgerton-esque blooms, wisteria is an Ideal Home favourite. And while it’s important to know how to train wisteria to make the most of these stunning blooms, you also need to know how to care for wisteria both during and after flowering.

Morris explains, ‘When Wisteria has finished flowering, usually during June, prune back all of the current year's new shoots to a spur. Plus, give the whole shrub a tidy-up.’

For the ins and outs of this June pruning task, you can check out our guide on how to prune wisteria - and you can even take a gander at gardening guru Monty Don’s wisteria pruning tip.

What you’ll need

2. Photinia

If you didn’t already know, photinia is one of the most versatile plants out there. Also called ‘Red Robin,’ photinia can be grown as either an ornamental shrub or a tree - and it’s actually considered to be one of the best hedging plants.

Famous for its red foliage, photinia also flowers in late spring - meaning June is the perfect time to prune your photinia. Morris says, ‘Photinia can be pruned in mid-June, just as the flowers are fading down. This will help the plant to generate fresh red foliage.’

Just remember to clean your secateurs with a natural disinfectant before ticking this task off your to-do list to avoid spreading diseases.

3. Evergreen hedges

Whether you’ve planted a fast-growing hedge to hide your home from the road or you’ve planted Japanese privet to block out your neighbours, June is the time to prune your evergreen hedges. Don’t go too overboard, though.

‘Evergreen hedges can be lighting trimmed to keep them in good shape,’ explains Morris. ‘This includes hedges such as laurel, viburnum tinus, privet and box. Remove any crossing stems, dead, damaged or diseased material.’

And if you need more info, you can check out our guides on when to prune laurel (and the risks that come with it) and how to trim a box hedge.

4. Rhododendrons

If you’re not sure when to prune rhododendrons, now is your chance. In fact, this is especially important if you’ve already ticked deadheading your rhododendrons off your to-do list, as it’s highly likely that your rhododendron bush is currently growing out of control.

And while you don’t necessarily have to prune a rhododendron, doing so can control the size and shape of this plant. You just need to make sure that you do it at the right time and give it the right attention afterwards.

For freshly pruned rhododendrons, focus on mulching the surrounding soil and maintaining a regular watering schedule to keep it happy and healthy.

5. Early flowering shrubs

Although June normally serves as the month that your garden blooms in full force, it’s safe to say that there are also many early flowering shrubs that like to bloom before everything else.

If some of your early flowering shrubs have already flowered this year, June is the time to start pruning them. Morris says, ‘Flowering shrubs should be pruned after flowering to allow time for new growth to establish for flowers the following year such as forsthyia and deutzia.’

This also applies to other popular early flowering shrubs, such as weigela, rubus, and even rosemary. However, you should only do this after they’ve flowered - so the exact pruning time is dependent on each individual shrub.

FAQs

Is June too late to prune?

No! If you didn’t get around to pruning certain plants in May, you can still get away with pruning these plants in June. Plus, many other plants specifically need to be pruned in June.

These are typically the shrubs and trees that have already flowered, evergreen hedges that need a trim. It’s always a good idea to double-check the pruning requirements for these plants before getting the secateurs out, though.

Can I trim hedges in June?

Yes, you can trim hedges in June. However, you have to be careful when doing so, as this is prime nesting season for birds, and it is illegal to intentionally disturb them during this time.

Because of this, you need to do your due diligence when looking to trim your hedges. And if you can’t be 100% certain that you won’t disturb any nesting birds, it’s best to either wait a few months or seek professional advice.

So, it’s time to get pruning!