Monty Don shares 2 flowers you should cut back this spring

While you might know what you’re doing, gardener Monty Don O.B.E has shared some advice, including the two flowers you should cut back.

The TV presenter and writer has said cutting them will help them grow again next year.

Monty Don says homeowners should cut back these two flowers this spring

Monty Don encourages homeowners to prune early flowering clematis such as C. montana, armandii, alpina and macropetala, The Mirror reports.

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The best time to do this is when they have finished flowering – it should be done “immediately”.

He said that although the time the flowers need to be cut can vary across the country, many of us will need to do it at the end of May.

Monty Don warned: “Next year’s flowers are formed on all the new growth made from this period until late summer so if you prune them much later than mid to late June you will be removing potential flowers that would bloom next spring.”

He added: “Pruning of these clematis is solely to maintain their size and spread  for your convenience rather than for any horticultural benefit. So cut back freely, not worrying about individual stems or the position of the cut.

“Then when you have finished, weed round the plant, water it well and mulch generously with garden compost or bark chippings.”

You can read more about Monty Don’s gardening advice via his blog website.

Gardeners should deadhead tulips in May, says Monty Don (Image: Getty)

Gardeners should also remember to deadhead tulips if the flowers are “growing in borders”.

This should be done when they have gone “past their best”, Monty Don explains.

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Deadheading tulips “will stop the development of seed so that all the energy goes into forming new bulbs for next year’s flowers.”

If you’re unsure how to deadhead tulips, Monty Don advises using your fingers “to snap off the spent flower with the growing seed pod”.

He warns: “Do not cut back the stem or any of the foliage as this will all contribute to the growing bulbs as they slowly die back.”