Gardening for idiots: When to trim your jasmine and how to rejuvenate summer pots

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Q| Do I trim my jasmine now?

A It really depends on what you’ve got. If you have summer flowering Jasmine (Trachelo- spermum jasminoides), this requires little or no maintenance, but if you need to cut it back, best to do it in the spring. If you have Jasminum officinale (also summer flowering), prune after flowering. Finally, if you have winter flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), prune in the spring, which again, is after flowering!

Q| My magnolia is still in full leaf but it’s bit lopsided. What should I do about pruning it?

A| Magnolias bleed if pruned in later winter or early spring, so I would prune between mid-summer and early autumn. Prune back to the stem or side branch but don’t leave stubs, as they can be a source for disease. It’s best to spread heavy pruning over a period of years.

Q| My summer pots are looking a bit rough, can I rejuvenate them?

A| If you’ve got summer bedding in, you should pull it out and replace with winter bedding, like pansies which flower through the winter. Perhaps add some winter flowering heather, or small shrubs.