This is what you can prune in August (and this is what you can't)

Feel free to grab your pruning shears in August! It's the time to cut back wilted flowers and a great time to boost the production of your fruit trees and shrubs. This article explains what you can prune in August.

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A variety of plants need pruning. Always keep the blades of your pruning shears sharp and clean. Remove sticky sap with a little turpentine.

Deadheading: Keep deadheading spent flowers to encourage plants to continue producing new ones. This applies, for example, to rose stems and many early-flowering perennials , such aslarkspur ( Delphinium ) and cranesbill ( Geranium ). With a bit of luck, you'll get new flowers – although there won't be as many as during the first bloom.

Damaged branches: Cut away broken stems and any damage caused by pests or disease. Prune back below the damage to a healthy stem or bud.
Fruit trees: New, tender shoots on fruit trees are more susceptible to diseases and pests. By cutting these back, you remove this food source, open up the crown and allow more air circulation, and allow light to reach the fruit more effectively for ripening.
Lady's Mantle: Trim away any straggly or wilted flowers and leaves from lady's mantle ( Alchemilla mollis ). Water the roots to encourage a fresh flush of velvety leaves.
Conifers: Pruning conifers is best done from August to September at the latest. This gives them plenty of time to recover and ensure they'll be neatly trimmed for the winter.
Yew: An established yew should generally be pruned twice a year, including one in August and September. Check out the step-by-step plan for pruning a yew and keep your hedge in shape.
Blackberries: Harvest blackberries by cutting off the branches with ripe fruit – this way you've pruned them immediately. Prune the entire branch back to the base. A detailed pruning plan for later can be found in " pruning a berry bush ."
Deadheading roses: Pruning shrub roses or climbing roses this month is primarily done by deadheading them: simply cut off the individual, faded flowers. If there are no buds left, cut the flower stem back by half.

Forgot to prune last month? Some plants, shrubs, and trees that need pruning in July can still be pruned in August.

Holly and topiary shrubs: These can be pruned in the same way as laurel, by cutting back the new growth to 2-3 leaves lengthwise with pruning shears.
Evergreen shrubs: You can prune new growth on various evergreen shrubs such as the spindle tree, breadfruit tree, and snowball . Cut them back by about half to prevent the plant from growing too large.

Some plants are developing now to be at their best in autumn, winter, or next spring. Avoid common pruning mistakes and leave these plants alone for now.

Spring-flowering shrubs: Leave the vigorous, new shoots of spring-flowering shrubs alone: they will continue to develop and flower in subsequent years.
Sarcococca : Sweet boxwood is now forming flower buds along its stems, hidden from view by the foliage. So don't prune the stems, as this will cut off a potential abundance of long-blooming, fragrant winter flowers .
Roses with rose hips: It is best not to prune roses now if the rose hips have decorative value, such as with the shrub rose Rosa moyesii 'Geranium' and the sweet briar ( Rosa rubiginosa ).
Some trees: Some trees, such as beeches and eucalyptus trees, are very susceptible to sunburn on their trunks. Active sap flow heats up too much, potentially burning the bark. Do not prune these trees now. Also read: Pruning eucalyptus: when and how?
Pelargoniums: Wait a month before pruningpelargoniums if you want to propagate them. Cuttings from these tender perennials root best in September.