13 Plants You Should Prune in July

I generally take the position that July in the garden is a time to sit back and enjoy the flowers. With an ice-cold beverage in hand and sunscreen at the ready, I prefer to postpone heavy lifting at least until the thermometer is safely south of 100°F (38°C). 

That said, sitting out there enjoying everything commonly leads to noticing things to do. A stray branch here and there has me pulling out my pruners. Once I get started, I’ll be snipping until the mosquitoes catch up with me. If you find yourself in this position, it’s important to know which plants you should and should not prune in July. 

Repeat Blooming Roses

	botanical name Rosa spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 30′
	hardiness zones 3-11

Repeat-blooming roses are first on the list of plants to prune in July.  If you want them to repeat, you have to prune. These roses can bloom on new or old wood, so it’s essential to do your pruning correctly to maximize your blooms. You want to stimulate growth, but not remove any potential flowers.

I call it pruning, but realistically, it’s deadheading. You want to trim the ends of the blooming branches after the flowers have finished blooming. This will stimulate plenty of new growth and the formation of new flowers for the next bloom!

Peach

	botanical name Prunus persica
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 8′-25′
	hardiness zones 4-9

You can prune your fruit trees twice a year, and for peaches, it should be in winter and summer. The best time for summer pruning is immediately after harvesting your ripe peaches. This should remove old fruiting wood and stimulate new growth. It also improves air circulation.

Your major pruning will take place in late winter, but for summer, we just want to do a light one. Remove any damaged branches, like those that broke under the weight of too much fruit. Then shape it up and, if need be, thin out the interior to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Apricot

	botanical name Prunus armeniaca
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20′-40′
	hardiness zones 5-7

Apricot trees are similar to peaches, and you can prune them in July as long as you’ve harvested the fruit. Remove any water spouts that may be popping up, as these draw energy from the tree. Removing them redirects that energy into new growth. The objective here is to stimulate new growth.

Thin out any crowded or crossing branches to give the crown a more open, attractive appearance. This is also important for the tree’s health. Remove any damaged wood, and then lightly shape it to direct its growth in the desired direction.

Catmint

	botanical name Nepeta racemosa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-3′
	hardiness zones 3-9

Catmint is a fast-growing and great blooming plant. It will provide color in the garden many times over if you prune it correctly. Much like a repeat-blooming rose, catmint can and will bloom more than once in a season. This will increase the blooms and also control the shape and size of your plants. 

After the first bloom finishes, shear off the tops by about one-third to one-half of the total foliage. This will keep your plant nice and compact, and prevent taller varieties from flopping over. Within a week or two, you’ll see new growth. A few weeks later, you should get the beginnings of a second flush of flowers. 

Salvia

	botanical name Salvia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-6′
	hardiness zones 3-10

Salvia is similar to catmint and other herbs in the mint family. They produce a vast array of flowers that are visually appealing and beneficial for pollinators. Pruning your salvia plant in July will help prevent leggy growth that can lead to floppiness. 

Trimming off spent flowers will stimulate new growth and trigger another significant bloom. For herbaceous salvias, treat this in the same fashion as catmint. Cut it back by one-third to one-half of its total height. For woody varieties, cut more carefully. Don’t cut into the woody growth, just give an all-over trim. 

Tickseed

	botanical name Coreopsis spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-3′
	hardiness zones 4-9

Tickseed is a fantastic bloomer and native plant that feeds pollinators and looks great in the garden. A mid-season shearing will revitalize your plant, particularly after a heavy flush. Once the first big bloom finishes, it’s a good idea to cut back your coreopsis. 

Pruning back your tickseed by about half will prevent it from becoming leggy. The foliage will densify, and a new significant flush of flowers will follow. It can be challenging to keep up with deadheading tickseed due to the abundance of blooms. Cutting them all back at once is much more practical. 

Penstemon

	botanical name Penstemon spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-6′
	hardiness zones 3-9

Pruning penstemon in July will encourage re-blooming and neaten things up after the flowers fade. You may also extend its lifespan, particularly for perennial types. Deadheading may stimulate another flush of flowers, and trimming the stems will help prevent legginess and flopping over. 

While it’s blooming, deadhead individual stems, cutting just above a set of leaves or a side shoot. After the main bloom fades, give your penstemon an all-over shearing. Cut it back by about one-third. This will encourage a more attractive shape and may trigger additional blooming. 

Zinnias

	botanical name Zinnia elegans
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6″-4′
	hardiness zones 2-11

Zinnias are so easy to grow, and if you prune them correctly, they will produce a ton of flowers! You can keep these plants flowering all summer if you treat them right. Zinnias don’t produce a single flush of flowers; they continue to produce one or two at a time throughout the summer and fall. 

If you want compact, shrubby, floriferous zinnias, deadhead often. I like to cut mine to bring indoors, but you can leave them on the plant until they fade if you prefer. As soon as the blooms fade, cut the stem all the way down to an offshoot. Your zinnias will branch and produce even more. 

Oakleaf Hydrangea

	botanical name Hydrangea quercifolia
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4′-10′
	hardiness zones 5-9

Oakleaf hydrangeas are a distinct species, separate from panicle and smooth hydrangeas. Those bloom on new wood, so it’s fine to prune them just about any time. Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, however, so it’s crucial to catch them at the right time. Typically, July is right about the time. 

Prune your oakleaf hydrangeas as soon as they stop flowering. If you wait too long, you risk removing next year’s buds. Tidy up by removing spent flower clusters and cutting back dead or damaged branches. Thin out the interior by removing any crossing branches to improve ventilation. 

Wisteria

	botanical name Wisteria frutescens
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 10′-30′
	hardiness zones 5-9

Wisteria is a fast grower that can quickly become unruly. To keep it under control and maximize blooms, prune this vigorous plant twice a year, around late spring and again in July. Pruning helps to encourage the growth of flowering spurs for the following year. It also keeps your vines from getting tangled. 

Late spring is best for a major overhaul, while summer is a light trim period for wisteria. Cut back long shoots to five or six nodes from the base of each shoot. This will channel energy into new buds. Remove suckers and thin out any crowded areas that require more air circulation and sunlight. 

Boxwood

	botanical name Buxus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 20′
	hardiness zones 4-9

Pruning boxwoods in July is fine, just make sure to do it on a cooler day. On a hot day, it can be stressful. This is the ideal time to shape up your shrubs, keeping them looking manicured and neat. Avoid heavy pruning while temperatures are high. 

Thin out the outer layer slightly, using sharp shears. Remove any rogue or overgrown branches. After pruning, ensure that you water your boxwood thoroughly. 

Lavender

	botanical name Lavandula spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-3′
	hardiness zones 5-9

Mid-summer is the time for pruning lavender, and July sits right in the middle, so it’s a great time for it. Right after the first major bloom, cut back your lavender. This keeps your plant shrubby and dense, rather than becoming leggy.

Pruning in July will also bring a second flush of flowers for your lavender plant. Cut back about 1/3 of the soft growth, avoiding the woody stems. Lavender can regenerate from woody stems, but it’s unreliable. 

Lantana

	botanical name Lantana camara
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 10′
	hardiness zones 7-11

Lantana loves hot weather, so in the summer, it blooms profusely. It can become overwhelming and crowd out other plants if left unchecked. July is mid-growing season for this plant, so you don’t want to go overboard. Just give it some shape, cut back any sprawling branches that are moving in on the neighbors. 

Pruning in July will help your lantana to put on new growth and encourage more flowering. This plant can flower all summer and fall, and butterflies adore it. Be careful about doing anything significant on a hot day, as this can cause heat stress.