Roses have a reputation for being difficult to prune. But don't let their stubborn growth habits intimidate you or buy into this misconception. Once you learn the simple step-by-step instructions, you'll look forward to pruning roses as a relaxing activity. Plan to prune your roses at least once a year, with the best time for most varieties being spring. So, how to prune roses in spring is the topic of this article.
When is the best time to prune roses?
Prune roses in spring and late winter: For most rose varieties, the best time to prune is in late winter or spring, right after the last frost date. Follow the weather forecast locally, as late frosts can vary by weeks or even months from year to year. There's no need to rush, but optimal timing helps avoid injury to your plants and saves you from having to cut out new cold damage again and again.
Pruning roses in summer and autumn: For rose varieties that bloom once, wait until early summer, right after flowering, to prune. They can still be shaped a bit in late summer, but beyond that, pruning healthy shoots will reduce the number of flowers next year.
It may also be worth carrying out some light pruning in the summer to remove spent flowers. This helps keep your garden tidy and prepares your roses for more fall blooms.
If you prefer a fresh, clean-looking winter garden, you can simply prune again in the fall. Be aware, however, that pruning can stimulate new growth and prevent roses from going dormant in time for the harsh winter cold, which can lead to winter damage.
How much to prune the flowers depends on your goal
There are different methods for pruning a rose, depending on what you want to achieve with the flowers and what type of rose it is. Newly planted plants should be pruned back only lightly, if at all, in the first year so they can devote more energy to growing strong roots rather than growing stems and leaves.
For older, healthy flowers, you can experiment with one of the 3 methods below.
- With a slight pruningless than a third of the plant is removed. If a rose has a beautiful, natural shape, blooms well and has little disease, you can be very picky about the cuts.
- With a moderate cutThe plant is reduced to 45 to 60 cm tall, with 5 to 12 shoots coming from the base. Do this if you want to improve the branching structure of your plants, resulting in new growth and better flowering.
- With a strong pruningThe roses are reduced to 15 to 25 cm high and 3 to 5 shoots. It is ideal for long-stemmed flowers or for refreshing older plants that are no longer thriving. Keep in mind that some varieties may stop blooming after such pruning. Instead, they may focus on regrowing shoots that won't bloom until next year, even though the rose would normally bloom all season.
Cut climbing roses: These are an exception. If they have grown too large, you can dramatically reduce their overall size by removing excess shoots at the base of the plant. However, you should leave at least 3 to 5 shoots and cut them no shorter than 1.5 m.
How to prune roses in spring – step-by-step instructions
Even once you've decided how severely you want to prune your roses, it can be difficult to know where to start. Use the following steps as a guide to figure out what to remove in order of priority. Make all final cuts at a 45-degree angle over an outward-facing bud eye (as shown).
You don't need to seal most cuttings because the plant does this on its own. However, some gardeners like to use a dab of white glue on the cutting surfaces to prevent disease and pest problems.
Cutting roses in spring – this is how it works:
- Remove dead branches and twigs. Cut back to live wood (it usually looks green from the outside.)
- Cut diseased or damaged branches back to healthy wood.
- Remove branches that cross in the center of the plant.
- Eliminate any shoots that are much thinner or weaker than the rest of the plant.
- Remove shoots from the base of the grafted roses.
- Take out older woody growth unless it would thin the plant too much.
- If remaining branches rub against each other, trim away the smaller ones.
- Finally, you can shape the plant however you like and adjust the overall height and width. Forming the top of the plant into a round dome rather than a flat tip will encourage top-down flowering.
As you work through these cuts, remember that roses are vigorous plants that are difficult to injure. In most cases, any mistakes you make will quickly be made up for with new growth.
More tips about the correct spring pruning of the different types of roses for the balcony and gardenyou can find here!
