Your gardening to-do list may feel a bit long these days, as keeping up with watering during heat waves, deadheading plants , and plotting out your fall plantings may be keeping you busy. Fortunately, one chore you can cross off your list is pruning, as many garden favorites don't require pruning during the summer. In fact, it may actually hurt your plant's health or beauty.

Learn why some plants shouldn't be snipped in the summertime—and when to trim them back instead.

Megan McConnell , plant information director at Monrovia

When to Prune Everything in Your Garden for Healthy, Thriving Plants

Why Some Plants Shouldn't Be Pruned in the Summer

While pruning is important to plant health—especially for certain shrubs and flowers—doing so at the wrong time can result in fewer blooms

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