Popular Shrubs You Can Trim This Month
February can be a busy month for pruning, providing a great opportunity to prune many popular late-winter shrubs and trees, as well as cut perennials left over from winter. Depending on your location and climate, you may add several plants to prune to your to-do list, which already includes shrubs and flowers to plant in February. Gardeners in colder areas, with a later frost, are better off waiting until the temperature rises and transplanting or transplanting.
To help you trim and shape your backyard in the coming months, take a look at seven popular plants you can trim in February to keep them in shape and give you a spectacular display of flowers this year.
1. Clematis
Clematis are popular climbing plants and there is a huge range of different clematis to grow. They can grow fast and spread, so should be pruned. The most important aspect of pruning clematis is knowing which pruning group your plant belongs to - there are three groups and they are pruned differently. Checking and pruning your variety when it comes to clematis can be a big pruning mistake.
Group 2 and Group 3 clematis – February is the best month to cut summer blooming varieties. When it comes to pruning, Group 2 varieties are pruned lightly in February to remove dead and diseased stems – over-pruning you can lose flowering shoots. Group 3 clematis are pruned hard in February and can be cut to 30 inches above the ground.
2. Roses
When growing roses, pruning is a very important annual task to keep these shrubs healthy, maintain their best shape, and ensure they provide you with plenty of beautiful blooms in the summer. All roses, including bar rumbling roses, are pruned during their dormant period.
The best time to prune all types of roses is late winter, however, your location will determine which months are best. If you live in US hardiness zones 8 or 9, February is a good time to prune roses, and if you live in colder zones it's best to wait until at least March. The best time is after the last frost and in early spring before the rose begins to grow vigorously. Getting the timing wrong is a common rose pruning mistake and can affect their display.
3.Wisteria
Wisteria is a famous flowering climber and a spectacular sight when in full bloom. It can be an excellent climbing plant for arches, pergolas or walls and mature wisteria should be pruned twice a year to keep their growth under control and to keep them looking their best. Pruning takes place during the summer and its winter dormancy - and February is the best time to get out with the pruning shears and trim it.
4. Butterfly bush
Butterfly bushes, also known as Badlia, are another popular fast-growing shrub that can become unruly if not regularly pruned. Their distinctive flowers, which attract bees and other pollinators to their flocks, bloom high on the bush if left unpruned. So to prevent trouble and ensure the display of flowers you can enjoy, it is recommended to prune later in late winter or early spring.
The right time to prune a butterfly bush depends on your location. Those in warmer climates can prune in February, when the bush begins to come into active growth. If you live in a cold climate and then have a long winter with frost, hold off on pruning until the risk of late frost is over.
5.Crepe Myrtle
Crepe myrtle are fast-growing fall flowering trees or shrubs that are prized for their fall color and patterned bark. It is a heat-loving plant that is popular in US hardiness zones 7-10. From fall to early spring, crepe myrtles should be pruned during their dormant period. However, late winter is the preferred time for pruning – February is ideal but the exact time depends on your climate. Pruning should be done before the tree resumes active growth in late winter.
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