The Flowering Shrub To Prune In Late Winter For A Surge Of New Growth In Summer

It can be difficult to know when and how to prune the plants in your garden. Some can only be pruned in summer after flowering, while others are happy with a spring tidy-up. If you have a butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) in your yard, you may be pruning it in the spring. This bush does well when cut back to the ground every year, and as it blooms on new branches, you can take your shears out in spring and give it a good trim. However, this year, you may want to try something different and prune it in late winter.

There are a few benefits of pruning your butterfly bush prior to spring. By pruning this plant in late winter, you are making sure that any work you do on it is before new growth starts. A spring prune can remove healthy, new growth and, therefore, reduce its summer size. Your butterfly bush will already be putting buds on in the spring, and a prune during this time may mean that you are removing the buds just as they are forming. Furthermore, as the butterfly bush is a deciduous shrub, it will go into dormancy over the winter period. This means that the fresh wounds you make on the shrub are only exposed for a little while. Once spring growth kicks in, these wounds will quickly seal, lowering the risk of infections and pests. 

Pruning your butterfly bush will promote new growth and gorgeous summer blooms. But you need to make sure that you have the right gardening tools before you begin. A sharp, clean pair of pruning shears is usually all you need to cut back your butterfly bush. However, for larger, overgrown shrubs, you may wish to use lopping shears. Once you have prepared your equipment, cut your butterfly bush back hard to within one foot of the ground. For the remaining part of the plant, cut just above the leaf when removing the stems. 

However, if your butterfly bush is just in its first season of growth, you don't need to prune it as dramatically. Instead of cutting it down to the ground, you just need to take off around two-thirds of the stems. Then, in the following winter, you can give it a harder trim. In regions where butterfly bushes die back to the ground, it is best to cut off all dead or damaged foliage and stems. Prune your bush back to the dormant base of the plant to promote vigorous growth in the spring. By cutting back your butterfly bush every year, you can boost the flower production, manage its size, and ensure that it's healthy and happy throughout the seasons.