Pruning buddleia

I've found that buddleias are so tough you can prune them at any time. Now would be a particularly good time, before they are in full growth. We've hacked them down to ground level before now and they've still shot up new stems! They are the bane of the railways and waterways as they can seed themselves into crevices in walls and cause damage. So - go for it

Definately get it done asap. Cut all the shoots down to one or two buds (which you will easily be able to see). They respond very well to a hard chop so if in doubt cut it off. You may need a pair of long handled choppers as the shoots can be rather thick and tough. You really can't do much harm to a Buddleia so an excellent one for a pruning novice. Enjoy!

Many thanks for the advice - I will get out there this afternoon!

We did our three yesterday - knee height. The dogwoods get the same treatment.

Ditto - exactly as Merlot

It's always amazing. You think that it's never going to grow back as big - then suddenly off it goes!

I give mine a bit of a feed after just to cheer it up.

Done! - and knackered! It was huge and in an awkward place. And clearing it all away was harder work than the chopping.

I had buddleias in my last garden; tough beggars they are. We are currently clearing what was a lost space in our garden and DH has unwittingly (so he says) cut down a lovely photinia. A buddleia might be just the thing to put in its place.

Hack it as much as you like. It'll be fine. Buddleias are thugs.

I have one that I cut down to as near the ground as I can every year and it still ends up six or seven feet tall and covered in flowers every year.

I like Buddleaia - it's tough as old boots.
I had a look at the garden today but the lawn and borders are so wet, it is impossible to do anything. It hasn't rained today - something of a miracle and I hope to do some cutting back within a day or so.
I put some slug pellets down (organic/said to be safe for birds and pets) because despite the cold, the slugs are already attacking large green leafy shoots. I hate those slugs

It was fairly easy to get at my plant as it is on the edge of some high decking with a rail round (bit like a ship!) and I just leaned over and did it without getting my feet muddy!

Time to start your clematis and roses now!!!

The roses and clematis were newly planted in the autumn, so I plan to leave well alone - I hope that is right.

It is very exciting having a proper garden - previously we lived in the middle of nowhere and just had grass and a wild flower bank. It is great seeing all the new things coming through - hundreds of bulbs coming up with a clump of some tiny little purple irises that I really love.

I love my buddleias because they're so forgiving.

I prune my clematis on St Valentine's Day. I have three roses and am hopeless at pruning them, despite poring over the RHS Book of Pruning and Training, but they always flower for me, bless them. I am hoping all my plants will do better now that they are not overshadowed by a huge laurel hedge which dropped its dead leaves all over the place. I took up two bin bags full yesterday from the flower bed and am mightily glad that it won't happen again.

Yes, get that buddleia down to ankle height otherwise it will take over. As for clematis, you need to know the variety as there are different kinds with different requirements.

I am lazy and do it straight after flowering, so dead-head and prune all in one job. It always comes back vigorously.

How exciting having a new garden Luckygirl. Please don't do as some neighbours of mine did years ago. They moved in just before Christmas and very soon started getting the garden how they wanted 'because everything looks dead' which ammounted to rotovating the lot and replanting. They had destroyed many of the lovely perrenial plants which had been there and dismayed when bulbs started popping up in their nice new perfect lawn. They must have spent a fortune and ended up with something like a dogs dinner with far less interesting plants.
Had they waited a few months they would have had a gorgeous garden for little effort and no expense.

A simple rule with clematis...If it flowers before June, don't prune (just remove any dead stuff) The later flowering ones need cutting back hard now.

Thanks for the info - I am gathering expertise as I go along.

The lady who lived here before us was a brilliant gardener and it is stuffed with wonderful things - we decided we would wait a year before doing anything major, just to see what comes up. The only thing we have done is to replace a vegetable garden with a scented garden, as we knew we would not have the ability to grow vegetables. And we had a new patio made with a little low wall round it, which we filled with scented herbs - it overlooks the new scented garden which has scented roses, mock orange and lilac in it - can't wait for the summer!

Sounds lovely Lucky
Yes, buddleia are tough......all except the one we planted five years ago which died inexplicably last year!

lucky that all sounds divine! I love gardening. This year I have planted 3 new rose climbers yellow and white to match a yellow and white scented shrub bed I have planted up. Everything seems to be thriving so far. Takes up hours of my time in planning and doing.

lucky you have done exactly what I want to do with my garden! What plants have you chosen for your scented garden?