Warning issued to anyone with beech or hazel trees and hedges in garden

Gardeners are being urged to carry out a vital winter job (Image: Getty)

UK households with beech or hazel trees and hedges in their garden have been issued a warning to carry out a vital task this month.

January may be the middle of winter but as the days start to lengthen it is a key month to start preparing your garden for the rest of the year and ensure plants are well protected in the cold weather.

Jobs in the garden this month are predominantly limited to keeping things trim and tidy, so it is the best time to start pruning plants.

According to gardening experts, households with beech or hazel trees and hedges in their garden should make sure they are pruned this month.

This is because these plants are dormant at this time of the year so pruning them now will ensure they don’t bleed sap, which can attract insects that may be carrying spores and diseases that will harm the tree.

If you notice any sunken or dead patches of bark on the tree, or small holes and brown spots on the leaves, then it could be a sign of bacterial canker – a disease of the stems and leaves.

They typically begin to form in mid-spring so make sure to check for any of these signs before carrying out any pruning as you may need to hold off pruning to ensure the tissues of the tree are at their most resistant.

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Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and Managing Director of Hedges Direct, warned: “Winter is usually the best time to prune as the plants are dormant and there is little activity within their system. 

“Pruning cuts can cause ‘bleeding’ — when sap leaks from a pruning cut — but tending to your plants when they are less active can minimise this damage. Just avoid pruning your plants in extreme cold conditions. 

“It’s best to leave evergreens and tender plants alone as they’re vulnerable to silver leaf disease if pruned in the winter. Some species to pay attention to at this time of year are Fagus (Beech) and Corylus (Hazel).”