Kingsbridge

Things to do in the garden in April, courtesy of online garden expert Shoot.

Prune late summer or autumn flowering shrubs

Examples include: Buddleja davidii, Fuchsia magellanica, Lavatera 'Barnsley', Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue'

For late summer or autumn-flowering shrubs that produce flowers at the end of the current season's growth you can prune in spring before growth commences, but after the risk of severe frost has past.

Try to keep a natural looking framework or 'scaffold' of main stems, with longer stems in the middle, and shorter stems to the side. If you prune to a flat-topped or square shape this can look unnatural.

Cut back the previous year's stems to within one or two buds of the older framework and remove any thin, weak or dead growth. Make sure there is not too much growth congested in the middle of the shrub and that the framework gives good, open structure for further healthy growth.

Prune wall trained shrubs

When trained on walls and fences these deciduous and evergreen shrubs are kept growing flat against those by cutting back shoots to within two to four buds of the framework of permanent branches. This is best done in late-spring because then you won't loose the buds you selected due to frost damage or die-back.

Before the shrub now starts growing again it is useful to check that the wall or fence is in good condition. Provide a sturdy means of attachment for the plant and check all ties, replacing any that are broken or (close to) cutting into the stems. Watch your wall-shrub and how its framework thickens year by year to help you decide on the appropriate ties. Some materials are more expandable than others e.g. cotton, but can rot away quicker. With rubber tube ties you may find that in direct sun they soon lose their flexibility and become brittle.

Look for early signs of aphids

Get out early in the year and look for signs of early aphid infestations on new plant growth, particularly roses. You should treat them immediately. Either use a chemical or organic spray recommended by your local garden centre or you can try a home remedy such as spraying with watered down dishwashing liquid to prevent them multiplying.

To minimise the treatment needed, you can wipe off some of the aphids first. Also consider growing nectar rich plants, such as buddleia, calendula, sedum, stocks, sweet William and wallflowers to encourage natural predators, such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies.

Prune early spring flowering (group 1) clematis

Examples include: Clematis montana, Clematis armandii 'Apple Blossom', Clematis alpina 'Frances Rivis'

This group of clematis generally doesn't need much regular pruning, as it flowers on old wood, and if you prune you will lose next year's early flush of flowers.

If you need to prune to keep the plant in the space you have allotted to it, then prune immediately after flowering to give the plant time to recover and put on growth in the summer. Remove dead or damaged stems, and once flowered, reduce other stems back to keep tidy.

For renovation, cut back harder to around 30cm from the base immediately after flowering.

The article April gardening tips originally appeared on 999 Today