AS the final weeks of summer wind down, novice gardeners may be ready to usher in fall.

Don’t act too fast when it comes to clearing out beds of roses or trimming your bushes.

Gardening experts say August is not the prime time to snip away.

“A good rule of thumb is to not give things a big pruning that late. And you have to be more careful,” Christina Stembel, founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers , tells The U.S. Sun.

“The reason many people advise not to prune at all is because cutting them back encourages new growth, and August is usually the time they should be slowing down for fall”

Stembel says that some spring bloom varieties (ones on old wood) can already have some of next year’s buds.

Gardening expert, Lindsey Chastain, agrees.

“Pruning your shrubs in August is not the ideal time because you’re going to give your plant an injury that they don’t have a very long growing season left to heal from,” Chastain tells The U.S. Sun.

When to prune

Chastain, founder and editor at Waddle and Cluck , looks to springtime as the ideal time to prune.

“The best time to prune your shrubs is in the spring, in early spring or after the last thaw, so that your shrubs have the entire growing season to heal from the pruning,” says Chastain.

Gardening isn’t a one size fits all. The various types of plants, flowers, and shrubs will mean making adjustments to your gardening routine.

Stembel shares what she prefers to focus on this month.

“In August, I’m spending most of my garden and yard time deadheading (SO much deadheading), watering really well, weeding, and cleaning up anything diseased,” Stembel says.

“I leave healthy foliage on perennials like peonies (until late fall when we cut them all the way back to 1-2 inches) and lilies alone, even when it’s looking a little tired, because it’s still helping feed the plant for next year.”

The founder of Farmgirl Flowers says her biggest advice for gardening in late summertime is to try your absolute best to leave things alone.

“Most of us want everything to look perfect, but August gardens are supposed to be a little wild and unruly (or at least we think so!),” says Stempel.

“So focus on the flowers and shrubs that are still giving you so much beauty, tidy what truly needs tidying, and leave the rest to do its thing!”