Pruning Roses

[Rebecca]

When do you prune roses?

Is it better in the fall or in the Spring?

 

I have four rosebushes that have never been pruned.

Now I have to decide when to prune them.

At first- I thought March (southeast) was the best time...

 

:confused:

 

Any help appreciated!

Rebecca

[Luckymama]

You want to prune them right before spring growth starts-----I look for the teeny red bits on the stems, then hack those puppies :lol:

 

Pruning stimulates growth. If you prune in the fall, you risk the plant (any plant, btw) growing before the weather gets cold, thereby weakening the plant.

[Chris in VA]

May I slightly hijack?

My one rose bush is a straggly collection of about 7 stems, with lots of air inbetween! It is way too tall, probably 5 feet, and it's not the climbing kind--so do I wait to hack it? How far back should I cut it?

Just this past week, it had a bloom on it.

[MBM]

May I slightly hijack?

My one rose bush is a straggly collection of about 7 stems, with lots of air inbetween! It is way too tall, probably 5 feet, and it's not the climbing kind--so do I wait to hack it? How far back should I cut it?

Just this past week, it had a bloom on it.

 

Yes, wait to hack it.

 

Roses do better with air circulation, so that's not really a problem except for the straggly appearance. However, to get a fuller plant, next spring you could cut two canes down before growth begins. The rose should send out more canes later on. Cut only when the rose is good and dry, and clean your tool each time you cut so you don't risk infecting the next cane. Then dab some liquid Elmer's glue on the cut parts so you don't get borers which will work their way down the cane to the roots and make your rose a goner.

 

Here's a video that should help you some more:

 

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/videos/how-to-prune-shrub-roses.aspx?nterms=74872

 

ETA: After watching the video, it looks like you could carefully prune all of the plant.

Edited October 18, 2010 by MBM
added a link

[fhjmom]

Are your roses modern/reblooming varieties? Here (Texas-zone 7) the recommendation is to prune roses on February 14th and October 14th. Remove any dead wood completely. Reshape the bush by cutting just above "eyes" on the stems. I usually trim back to about 1/3 of the original size.

 

If they are spring-only bloomers (ex. Lady Banks is a popular once-blooming rose), then only prune in the later spring, just after the bloom has finished.

[Ellie]

Depends on where you live. Here in central Texas, where winter is really more "winter," :) I might wait until January or February. In places where there's a true winter, you do it early in the season.

 

But if you forget and don't do it until spring, that's ok. It's better to do it then than not at all (just not summer or fall).

 

Roses need at least a minute where they think to themselves, "Oh. I'm supposed to be dormant." :D

[Krista in LA]

Well my dh was just pruning some roses yesterday - he tends to do it in the spring and fall, sometimes in between too if the plant is getting too big. We live in Louisiana. The fall pruning is more to cut back dead parts and long canes to protect it from the winter while the spring pruning helps stimulate the growth.

[laughing lioness]

Prune back to the point where there are 7 leaves on a branch. Make sure to feed. We had gorgeous roses in eastern NM (high desert). I pruned all summer long, watered and fed well.

[Rebecca]

Wow!

A lot of varying thoughts. :(

This is why it is so confusing for me.

 

I just asked a lady from church and she says she prunes hers just before winter.

The library book I borrowed last spring said to prune in Spring. But it also said you can prune in fall...

 

I don't want to hurt my roses! Last year- they bloomed til December 1st!

 

Thanks,

Rebecca

[Luckymama]

Where do you live? What zone? It's obviously someplace warmer than here because my roses stop around Halloween (in a protected spot). How much moisture do you receive? Is there good air circulation around the plant? Do you get wind in the winter? Plant care can vary widely with micro-climate!

 

You might want to check if your county extension has an "ask the master gardener" phone line :)

[Dobela]

Call a local nursery and ask them for advice. I live near Texas and prune in February. I do cut out dead stems and such whenever I see them. My mom however prunes whenever she gets the urge and her roses are always beautiful.

 

And i know about not cutting too soon. I have one of mine blooming now!

[Ellie]

Call a local nursery and ask them for advice. I live near Texas and prune in February. I do cut out dead stems and such whenever I see them. My mom however prunes whenever she gets the urge and her roses are always beautiful.

 

And i know about not cutting too soon. I have one of mine blooming now!

I deadhead my roses all year, but I *prune* them back in January or February. Also, I quit deadheading them right about now.

[momtotkbb]

Like others said, it will depend upon where you live. I'm in SC and our nursery told me to prune in late Oct. ---I still have new buds coming on all mine though. And then again Feb. 14.

[LauraGB]

I deadhead my roses all year, but I *prune* them back in January or February. Also, I quit deadheading them right about now.

 

Me, too. Except that I prune them more in May after all threat of frost is gone (up north here). I suppose I could prune them in the fall and cover them, but I like the way the hips look with snow :).

 

Unless you've got some testy roses on your hands, I really don't think you can "hurt" them. If you've just got regular old roses (whether bushes, tea, minis, climbers - it doesn't much matter), I'd keep deadheading until winter and prune back in the spring. One thing you will need to know about your rose variety is whether the new growth comes from the bottom or from old wood - you might trim it back too far and have a longer growing season ahead of you this spring.

[Spy Car]

If you think the math wars are bad, you should see the rose pruning wars :D

 

There is a stark contrast of approach between the (dominant) American Rose Society (ARS) recommendations of hard pruning roses (and here "roses" mean modern Hybrid Teas and Florabundas) and the Heritage Rose groups that grow roses from a wide variety of classes outside modern HTs.

 

Part of the reason ARS people hard prune is this produces (in HTs) longer lateral stems and larger (but fewer) roses. This is what "wins" in rose exhibitions. But does it make garden-sense to hack roses to sticks? I certainly don't think so.

 

Rather than the savagery that has been advanced by the ARS for pruning for rose exhibition (the prime focus of the ARS) that spills into general gardening (whether appropriate, or not) as the way one "ought" to prune rose. It is mostly "folly" unless you want to win rose shows and are willing to sacrifice the aesthetics of the rose in the garden to get there. Instead, one can work from the bottom, removing dead-wood, gently (with an eye to aesthetics) remove non-productive older wood, and look to keeping the plant open and free of rubbing canes. Then, if necessary, reduce the plant lightly to keep in the desired scale.

 

Some classes (Teas, Chinas, Noisettes) that thrive naturally in the South resent hard pruning. These should be more widely grown in that region where they are better suited than HTs and Floribundas. And in the North many classes of one bloomers need to be pruned right after their Spring-Summer flush as many bloom on "old wood" and will be bloom-less if pruned just prior to Spring.

 

Timing varies by locale, the tolerance of roses to hard pruning varies greatly by class. Most people (unfortunately) grow from a very narrow range of industrial choices and our cultural legacy of great roses slips away--but not even modern roses "need" the hard pruning they often (usually) get. Hitting them as hard as is common is unnecessary, and (to my taste) often disfigures the rose bushes. Better to do the minimum. Work from the bottom up. Taking dead-wood, old wood, and crossing wood in that order. Then thinking long and hard about doing anything beyond that if size is not an issue.

 

Bill

Edited October 18, 2010 by Spy Car

[Spy Car]

....but I like the way the hips look with snow :).

 

 

:iagree:

 

There are few more beautiful sights than rose-hips in snowy winter.

 

Bill

[Rebecca]

Thank you all so much.

Spy Car- a wealth of knowledge...:D I want a beautiful rose garden not just beautiful blooms...

 

Anyway-

I live in Western North Carolina. In the southern part of the mountains- only 30 minutes (or so) from the Georgia State Line.

 

I think I will take the approach of pruning just before winter.

 

Now- to figure out HOW to actually prune them.

 

I liked the Elmer's Glue suggestion...

 

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

What is "crossing wood" ?

 

Thanks,

Rebecca

[Spy Car]

What is "crossing wood" ?

 

Thanks,

Rebecca

 

Two canes that touch or rub against each one another. The "ideal" is to keep the structure of the canes open. Good air circulation discourages fungal disease problems, and damage from rubbing canes can be a pathway for insect infestations. This is a general rule, and not don't need to cut every cane that touches another, it is just an "ideal."

 

Bill

[KrissiK]

Where do you live? What zone? It's obviously someplace warmer than here because my roses stop around Halloween (in a protected spot). How much moisture do you receive? Is there good air circulation around the plant? Do you get wind in the winter? Plant care can vary widely with micro-climate!

 

You might want to check if your county extension has an "ask the master gardener" phone line :)

:iagree: You need to do it according to your climate. I live in Central California and I do it in January.

[Spy Car]

Thank you all so much.

Spy Car- a wealth of knowledge...:D I want a beautiful rose garden not just beautiful blooms...

 

Anyway-

I live in Western North Carolina. In the southern part of the mountains- only 30 minutes (or so) from the Georgia State Line.

 

I think I will take the approach of pruning just before winter.

 

Now- to figure out HOW to actually prune them.

 

I liked the Elmer's Glue suggestion...

 

Rebecca

 

I was going to point you towards Ashdown Roses in South Carolina, but an in a state of shock at the moment to find they have recently closed this important rose nursery. What a tragedy for those of us who love Heritage Roses.

 

*deep sigh*

 

We have lost so many of the specialty nurseries that keep historic roses in commerce. I am very sad.

 

There is still a good deal of information on the Ashdown website. Also search YouTube under Ashdown and/or Phil Zimmerman (the owner of Ashdown) for rose pruning films that will be a good start for you. He prunes a little harder than I might, but still a far cry from the "cut the roses to sticks" thinking that comes out of the ARS and ARS influenced books (most) and ARS oriented "advice" you will get from most nurserymen (who have read the ARS books).

 

Bill