Tulpa wrote:
Hello all.. following my 'New to composting' post (thank you all..) I'm
wondering if anyone can give me some guidance on pruning our various
shrubs/trees?
Buddlea,

I've 'tidied' one of mine yesterday because of the gales which we've
been promised. It started early in the morning and I'm glad I did it
because some branches would have snapped. Ideally early march is good
but for protection against high wind it's a good idea to remove some
heavy branches now. To have kept the branches up till now has benefited
birds with the seeds as food.

Lilac,

I've never bothered because I want trees, not bushes. If you want to
prune them, straight after the flower has faded is the best way. Though
wild life will miss out. It is difficult to maintain a 'bush' lilac -
it takes about 2/3 years for a flower to appear if you cut the branches
and therefore I have never bothered as I'm too precious about my May
blooming show time )

Dogwood,

I enjoy mine (alba and sanguinea) until spring and then I cut every
three branches right down (around March). I do this to keep some
structure in winter and for the colours especially and not have nothing
left in one go. A few years ago I cut the sanguinea right down - it
grew slowly and not straight, sending long lanky shoots all over the
place. To this day I'm not sure what happened but as a result, I prune
lightly so that I still have strong branches to enjoy whilst new one
shoots up underneath. I also use both bushes branches as xmas
decorations, in wreath and indoors in arrangements.

Apple, Damson... all looking a bit wintry but
straggly... I've lopped a lot off the Buddlea and am worried that it
may not come good in spring?

It depends how old is your tree. I prune my apple (I don't know what I
have - bright red apples and few of them sadly) in January and in
summer I cut by half the new shoots and the ones that crosses others.
Always prune above an outward facing bud. I've heard one should be able
to throw a hat through the tree to the other side if well pruned )
Don't worry about your buddleia - it will be fine. You'll have an
amazing surprised in the spring.