Pruning flowering plants in the summer

When planning a garden, plant selection is often inspired by flower shape and colour. During the summer, many plant varieties reach their peak flowering period, filling gardens with varied and colourful blooms. Most plants bloom all on their own, but in some cases, they need a gardener’s support to thrive. Summer pruning, also known as maintenance pruning, helps extend a plant’s flowering period and improves its health overall.

Plants do not develop all of their flowers simultaneously, but gradually throughout the summer.
By pruning faded stems, you encourage new growth, helping your garden stay in full bloom for the entire season. This is particularly beneficial for perennials such as rudbeckia, helenium or heliopsis. Maintenance through pruning ensures you can enjoy their impressive colours for a longer period.

Close-up of vibrant yellow flowers with detailed petals and centers.

Heliopsis

Close-up of three vibrant red flowers with yellow accents in a garden setting.

Helenium

Close-up of vibrant yellow flowers with dark centers in a garden setting.

Rudbeckia

1/3

Close-up of blooming pink roses with green leaves in a garden setting.

With some rose varieties, pruning the upper stem directly after the first main flowering can encourage a second flowering. To achieve a long and intensive flowering phase, it is advisable to find out about your plant’s remontant characteristics.

Other plants tolerate being pruned back to a hand's breadth above the ground after the first flowering. Perennials such as delphinium, chrysanthemum, nepeta, and salvia sprout vigorously until late summer and delight both humans and insects with their continued abundance of flowers:

Delphinium

Chrysanthemum

A garden scene featuring vibrant purple flowers and lush greenery near a brick building.

Nepeta

Close-up view of vibrant purple flowers in a garden setting.

Salvia

1/4

Tip: It’s important to give plants sufficient fertilizer and water to promote healthy new growth following a heavy pruning.

Plants such as astilbes, columbine, polemonium or phlox, which spread quickly by self-seeding or run wild, can be contained to a certain area by targeted summer pruning. If the faded flowers are removed promptly, the plant will not produce further seeds.

Astilbe

A bumblebee collecting nectar from vibrant purple flowers in a garden.

Columbine

A cluster of vibrant purple flowers blooming in a grassy area.

Phlox

1/3

Further pruning signals

Inconsistent weather in the summer can pose a health risk to your plants. Warm and humid weather conditions create ideal conditions for fungal pathogens to grow. Flowers, fruit, and leaves are at risk of being attacked by Molds like Botrytis. It is crucial to prevent these pathogens from spreading, as they can infect many plant species. Flower, fruit, or plant shoots covered in a grey-brown mouldy growth should be cut off and disposed of in the trash or compost pile and covered with a lid to prevent the disease from spreading.