Is it now?

October or now at a guess

From a gardener, I was told that Buddleja should be cut back in March.

When I lived in the UK I had a gardener to look after my garden. He was head gardener at Scott Park and he always said the best time to prune shrubs and bushes etc was September/October, or at the end of February.

Depends on the type of tree. Deciduous trees autumn winter, evergreens mid to late summer. Google pruning trees on RHS site, very useful info. If you prune at the wrong time of year you can introduce disease or the tree can’bleed sap’.

Was going to say the same... I pollard my mulberry trees in autumn, cut back the olive grove in march, do the grape vines in January/February. Different times for different trees and bushes.

All depends on what your pruning all plants and trees differ , just do a google search on species of plant your pruning and the net will tell you best time

Can anyone recommend a local (to Burnley) tree pruning individual/company for medium sized trees? Preferably with one of those shredding machines.
Thanks

Depends on the shrubbery or tree ... Some are Autumn as the sap is falling so the tree/shrub has time to heal over the cut ... some are late winter before the sap starts rising again then the cut can heal ... but without knowing what you want to prune couldn`t say really ...

I ask the misses to trim it every week.

In general it mostly depends on when they flower.

A cherry tree for instance flowers in the spring so if you prune it now you will be cutting off lots of flowers which is the main feature of the tree. I suggest pruning them after they have flowered. Same with Rhododendrons so again it's best to prune them after flowering.

As others have said, disease can also be a factor. Yew trees and hedges for example should be pruned in August - at least that was what I did in the 2000s.

Of course if trees or shrubs are simply too big and that is the main issue then, disease issues aside, late winter/early spring before growth has started but with a lower risk of heavy frosts (so hopefully preventing new growth being killed off) is probably the best time.

Safest rules are:

1. Identify the plant.
2. Follow guidance for that plant.

Hipper wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 31, 2023 3:34 pm

In general it mostly depends on when they flower.

A cherry tree for instance flowers in the spring so if you prune it now you will be cutting off lots of flowers which is the main feature of the tree. I suggest pruning them after they have flowered. Same with Rhododendrons so again it's best to prune them after flowering.

*As others have said, disease can also be a factor. Yew trees and hedges for example should be pruned in August - at least that was what I did in the 2000s.

Of course if trees or shrubs are simply too big and that is the main issue then, disease issues aside, late winter/early spring before growth has started but with a lower risk of heavy frosts (so hopefully preventing new growth being killed off) is probably the best time.

Safest rules are:

1. Identify the plant.
2. Follow guidance for that plant.

* if you are trimming Yew do not put it in bags and transport it to the tip in the car ... Last spring we went to the poison garden at Alnwick Gardens and were warned about the toxic vapours Yew gives off, and have been the cause of accidents... Yew is highly toxic and deadly. Many other plants are and can over come folk who are un aware ... always read up on any plant you are unsure about ...

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 31, 2023 3:57 pm

* if you are trimming Yew do not put it in bags and transport it to the tip in the car ... Last spring we went to the poison garden at Alnwick Gardens and were warned about the toxic vapours Yew gives off, and have been the cause of accidents... Yew is highly toxic and deadly. Many other plants are and can over come folk who are un aware ... always read up on any plant you are unsure about ...

I used to sell (we didn't get much money) the cuttings to a company based in Doncaster area I think that sent them on to a company who extracted the the oils to be used to make treatment for breast cancer.