As the last of the winter-flowering heathers begin to fade this March, it is the perfect time to step in with the shears. These resilient little plants have been a lifeline of colour through the darkest months, but if left to their own devices, they have a nasty habit of becoming “leggy.” Without a regular annual haircut, the stems turn thick, bare, and woody at the base, with only a small tuft of green at the very tips. Once a heather reaches that stage, it is almost impossible to coax it back into a lush, carpet-like shape, so a bit of “tough love” now is essential.

The trick to a successful prune is all in the timing and the depth of the cut. You want to wait until the flowers have turned brown and papery, which usually happens as we roll through March. Using a sharp pair of garden shears, simply trim off the faded flower spikes. You can be quite firm, but the golden rule of heather pruning is to never cut back into the old, brown wood. Heathers lack the ability to sprout from old wood, so if you go too deep, you’ll be left with a permanent dead patch. Instead, always ensure there are plenty of green leaves left on the stem below your cut.

Think of this task as more of a “shave” than a hard prune. Removing the spent flowers encourages the plant to put its energy into fresh, bushy new growth from the base. This keeps the mound tight, tidy, ready for next winter’s display.

Once you’ve finished trimming, it’s a nice touch to give them a light mulch using leaf mould, but keep it thin. A little attention in March ensures your heathers remain a vibrant, low-maintenance feature of the garden.