Pruning - General

[londoneye]

Ok, I'm a bit worried and at a loss.

Plants, which should definitely not be coming into leaf bud are.

Every year, first week of April I mutter and prod at the mrtyle (sp?) thinking they have died, because they come into leaf bud so late. You've guessed it - 11th February and they are doing their stuff.

That's the most extreme example, but two clematis are coming into leaf as well, which is really unusual.

Question, therefore, do I prune everything (including myrtle) now, or do I wait and prune at normal time ???

Any thoughts?

And am I likely to have anything growing at all in the garden this summer after the next heavy frost (and we all know there will be one at some point in next 6 weeks).

[ukhostland]

Hi,

as you say, the chances of there not being more cold weather are slim so I would wait a while yet before pruning, which is best done after the risk of frosts has passed. It's great to see things moving though. We in the Indre have enjoyed 18 degrees at mid day for the last couple of days and had our first outdoor lunch of the year today. Our garden is very new, but in flower at the moment are Camellia, Jasminium nudiflorum, Skimmia,  Hamamelis, Snowdrops and one lonely Crocus.

[londoneye]

wow - I haven't got anything in flower yet, just lots of stuff doing unusual things !

Many thanks - waiting probably does make sense. I will have to fight the temptation to get out there and start hacking away ! Too nice to sit indoors.

[Kitty]

I have a large box (plant) in a tub that has gone brown on the outside with some green shoots in the middle.  Should I prune the brown bits off?  They started to go brown when I went away during a hot period last summer and my husband forgot to water it.