Work in the garden is already in full swing and while the first plants have already sprouted and are even flowering, others are still waiting for the outdoor season indoors and others will only get their pruning this month. You already cut many trees in February before the pruning ban from March, others again in March. But is there anything left for April? You should cut the following trees in April:
Cut shrubs in April – These plants urgently need a cut
Pack the secateurs and get started. You should cut the last trees in April! Which are they?
A favorite among spring bloomers – the magnificent forsythia
One of the first shrubs to bloom in spring is forsythia (Forsythia). The shrub impresses with incredibly lush flowers in bright yellow. But so that you can continue to enjoy this splendor of flowers every year in the future, it must also be thinned out regularly. This is the only way that sufficient sunlight can reach the inside of the branches. By “regularly” we mean roughly every two to three years. The right time is always right after flowering and usually in April.
This care cut every few years is not only important for the formation of flowers, but also for lush growth in general. On the one hand, it prevents the forsythia bush from bare at its base and, on the other hand, from getting too long branches that fall down to the ground. And branches lying on the ground are also more at risk of getting sick and rotting, for example.
However, it is best to start with the roses
Since the forsythia blooms well into April, you can use the waiting time to get the roses in shape too (if you haven’t already done so in March). Are you worried about the fact that the plant has already sprouted new shoots? It doesn’t have to be, because it doesn’t bother the rose bush in any way, on the contrary: the rose is not only strengthened and therefore less susceptible to diseases and pests, but also produces significantly more flowers.
Learn more about pruning roses here.
Cut shrubs in April – the kitten willow
One of the most romantic trees is the kitten willow (Willow goat ‚Pendula’) with her pussy willows. If you’re pruning trees in April, don’t forget this one! Pruning the wood immediately after flowering is also recommended for this willow. The purpose of this pruning is to keep the wood young, because old shoots break quickly. You can use the shoots as a guide to how much to cut off each branch. Pay attention to the so-called eyes: each branch should keep two to four of them after the cut. The result is a lush crown, as this pruning stimulates the formation of new shoots.
The gorgeous almond tree
The name is somewhat misleading, because this plant has nothing to do with the actual almond tree. The ornamental shrub impresses with a breathtaking bloom of delicate rose and the amount of flowers is really unique. They extend over the entire branch. But so that it stays that way and the almond tree (Prunus triloba) always stays nice and compact, pruning is necessary.
April, when the flowering is over, is the right time for the radical topiary and you can be brave about it. In general, of course, the first thing to do is to completely remove any weak, diseased or dead shoots (you’ve probably already figured out what those are during the flowering period). Then prune the healthy shoots as well. You can cut back to a whopping 10 to 20 centimeters here.
Maintain the summer lilac with cuts
Actually, winter is the right time to plant the summer lilac (Buddleja davidii) to cut. But if you missed it, you can prune the trees in April – it’s your last chance. What is important here? The bush always flowers on its new shoots, so the buds should already be visible. You can also spare these, but you can let off steam on the old branches. In general, however, removing the flower buds is more likely to stimulate flowering than vice versa. In the end, you can take a third from the bush through the cut.
Only cut the hibiscus in April under certain conditions
Like the summer lilac, the garden marshmallow (Syrian Hibiscus) actually cut back in February. But here, too, you can carry out a delayed pruning in April, provided that no new leaves have grown yet. The pruning stimulates flowering and ensures that you can enjoy tons of flowers for a long time in the summer.
