Pruning roses
There are multiple varieties of roses, each with their requirements for pruning. However, we will cover the basics in this guide and empower you to prune most roses. First and foremost, we are pruning the rose to be pleasing to the eye with a well-balanced shape and open centre.
The ideal shape for most rose species is vase-type, although personal preference may vary. You want to aim for most flowers and foliage towards the top of the canopy.
Keeping the centre open allows light and wind to move through for better air circulation.
What does this article cover?
- What tools you will need to prune roses
- Best time to prune roses
- What to prune on a rose
- When to hard prune a rose
- Pruning Climbing roses
- How to prune roses (Step by step)
What tools do I need to prune roses?
The good news is you only need a little for trimming rose bushes. You will need the following four items to prune your rose bush correctly.
- A sharp and clean set of secateurs
- Thornproof gloves
- Pruning saw (Not essential but handy)
- Top-quality mulch, such as compost or manure
What secateurs do we recommend?
As a professional gardener, I use this Spear and Jackson Secateur set daily. They are a well-made and reliable product that makes pruning effortless.
How do you keep your secateurs sharp?
To keep my tools sharp out on gardening jobs, I use this portable sharpening tool as it is light and makes easy work of sharpening my secateurs or other bladed tools.
When should you use a pruning saw?
While you may have the strength to cut thicker stems with secateurs, you may develop problems or repetitive strain injuries doing so. To avoid damaging your hands or causing a strain-related injury, I recommend using a pruning saw for any stems thicker than your finger.
A pruning saw may also be helpful for any thick branches or stems that might cause a strain on your hand or wrist. I use this handy Spear and Jackson Foldable Pruning Saw on a daily basis when I am out gardening.
A good pair of gloves
Suitable gloves are just as crucial as your secateurs when pruning rose bushes. You are probably aware that roses have very sharp and robust hooked thorns. Wearing gloves is a must to keep from any unwanted pricks.
As a professional gardener, I use Sawan’s leather, breathable and thorn-proof gloves to keep my hands safe. They are effective at protection against thorns and still allow for some dexterity.
Sawans leather gloves are not only breathable but are also great to work in. They are thick enough to stop rose thorns but thin enough to offer enough movement to work in – perfect!
Long sleeves also help stop the thorns from catching your arms when pruning your rose bush.
When to prune roses
When do you prune roses? Winter is the ideal time to cut back roses because any new growth will start in spring. Pruning your roses outside of the winter months may result in forgoing any flowers until the following year.
When is it too late to prune roses?
It is too late to prune your roses anytime after spring. Pruning roses after spring may result in the plant developing little to no flowers. If your rose bush is not producing new growth, it may be time to hard prune it.
Please see the section below on hard pruning.
Cutting back roses
When cutting back roses, you want to cut away any dead or damaged wood and old stems that are no longer productive. When you cut a rose stem, you want to prune around a quarter of an inch above an outward-facing bud, as shown below.
This bud will be one of next year’s stems and flowers. We choose outward-facing buds to open up the centre of the rose bush, allowing light through and air to circulate the rose bush.
Make your pruning cuts at a 45-degree angle and slope away from the outward-facing buds. Doing so will allow rain to drain off the open cut and away from the new bud, preventing the bud from rotting off or developing disease through winter.
How to know what to prune on roses
You can quickly identify dead stems on a rose bush as they will be dark brown, black or grey. The bark may also split and peel away, which can be caused by necrosis or disease.
Either way, it is a sign of an unhealthy stem and should be removed to improve the condition of the rose.
You can also identify healthy stems by their colour, which will most likely be green. However, a healthy rose stem can also be a deep red or orange, depending on the time of year.
If you are unsure whether a stem is still alive, you can cut off a small section. If it is brown inside, it is dead. If it is green, it is still healthy and alive.
We also want to prune any canes falling outwards or crossing each other to keep the centre open, and the rose bush looking tidy into the summer. Stems that cross each other can rub during windy weather, leading to damage that could result in disease.
When to hard prune a rose bush
Hard pruning is where you cut back the rose down to the base. Cutting the rose this far down will mean no flowers for up to 2 years and is therefore only recommended if there is no other option.
You will need to hard prune your rose bushes if they do not produce flowers in summer and look worse for wear. Doing so will encourage the plant to regenerate, and in a year or two, it will be back better than ever.
Pruning climbing roses
Unlike rose bushes, it is best to prune climbing roses at the end of the summer or in the autumn months once flowering has finished.
Climbing roses differ because you want to give the climbing rose time to send out new buds before winter arrives.
As a climbing rose grows, you want to encourage one central arch. To achieve this, you should take off any side shoots or stems when pruning. Doing so allows the plant to spend its energy on growing flowers during the summer.
Mulching your rose bed
Once you have finished pruning your rose bushes, it is time to give them some extra nutrients. Quality mulch is essential to vibrant, healthy flowers in the following year. After you have chosen the mulch, it is time to spread it around the base of your pruned roses.
Rose fertiliser
Potash is an essential mineral for roses, not naturally occurring in mulches. Using a fertiliser that contains potash will help ensure the most vibrant flowers. If you are looking for recommendations, check out Verve Rose Fertiliser.
Verve Rose fertiliser contains everything your rose needs to flourish when the weather begins to warm up.
How to prune roses (Step by step)
- Cut back dead wood and old stems down to outward-facing buds.
- Take off up to ⅓ of last year’s growth (for most roses).
- Cut back any stems that cross other stems or face inwards.
- Remove any leaves that are dying or have signs of disease.
- If you use rose fertiliser, apply the correct amount to the area around the base of the rose now and work it into the soil.
- Give the roses a good mulch with a generous amount of compost or manure.
Summary
We have covered the main areas that apply to pruning most roses. You will now be able to apply the knowledge from this article to the rose bushes in your garden. We have covered what tools you need when pruning roses, what you should cut off, and how to identify dead or diseased areas.
Resources: Image by Freepik
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