Pruning

The Mother Lode Rose Society

Simple Steps to Pruning by Dorothy Wall Consulting Rosarian

his time of year brings many questions about how to prune roses. For some   reason, gardeners, who neither seek nor need advice during the rest of the year, lose their confidence and have a lot of trepidation about making that first cut. I guess you could call it “The Fear of Pruning.” But attitude is everything; there are only a few simple steps to pruning roses, or as I prefer to think about it, getting roses back into shape and under control. Let me list the steps and I think you will agree that it involves only a few rules and a lot of common sense.

Step #1:
Newly sharpened by-pass (not the anvil type) hand pruners. Find a pair that fit your hand comfortably, left handed if you need them. Loppers, 17-20 inch size, a 6 inch folding pruning saw to cut through heavier branches, leather gloves (gauntlets are best), and of course plan on wearing clothes that will protect you from thorns.

Step #2:
This is a very important step, and one that I notice many people do not take the time to do.

Clear away any debris or soil from around the bud union or base of the rose. Examine the canes so that you can identify any unhealthy looking or dead wood. On grafted roses, check to make sure all growth is from above the bud union. Canes sprouting from below the graft are growing from rootstock and are known as “suckers.” They are very vigorous and will take over if allowed to grow. Suckers are best pulled out or dug out, rather than being cut off, so they will not re-grow.

Step #3:
Evaluate each bush on an individual basis. Floribunda or Hybrid Tea? Shrub or Climber? Also establish your goals; do you want lots of smaller bloom for color or are you hoping to win Queen at he Rose Show? Fewer canes for bigger blooms? Do you have room to let a shrub type rose spread out or is shaping it into a more compact bush more practical? You have control here, so make some decisions before any cuts are made.

Step #4:
First cut out what you know has to be taken out. This would be any obvious undesirable canes; canes that are dead or unhealthy, canes that cross over others, or very small canes coming from the base of the bush. Once these are out of the way, you will be able to get a better idea of how to go about shaping the bush the way you want it.

Step #5:
Shorten the remaining canes to about 1/3 of their present length. Here some common sense must be used because if the bush has grown very tall, it may need to be cut down to a reasonable size. If it is a small plant, give it a chance to grow. How many canes to leave depends on the goals you have. If the bush is large and healthy, there's no reason to limit the number of canes. You want to grow roses and have lots of bloom don’t you?

Step #6:
Do not, I repeat, do not, leave little twiggy growth! Remember that new growth will always be smaller than the stem from which it grows. If it cannot support a bloom, then it is not of much use. Here again common sense will tell you that if you are pruning a variety such as a small flowered landscape rose or even some Floribundas, then smaller stems are OK. Be familiar with the different types of roses and prune accordingly. There’s a world of difference. The basic rules always apply, but they must be tailored to suit the rose.

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