The warm winter in my part of the country has gardeners asking if it's time to prune roses.

I normally advise waiting until early March. This avoids the problem of pruning now, having more warm weather (which stimulates new growth) and then a hard freeze in late Feb. which would damage the new sprouts. If your rose has new growth now, leave it alone and let's see how Nature proceeds.

22 Comments

AK Complete Home Renovati... Marietta, GA

I was just thinking about pruning yesterday, enjoying the nice weather in the backyard. Glad you posted this - I'll wait until early March! Any additional advise on Crape Myrtles?

on Feb 06, 2012 · Like 0
Sherrie S Debary, FL

Plants here think it is spring. My redbud is covered with pretty pink blossoms and the Tabebuia has one bright yellow flower. I'm afraid this weather won't last. I believe their normal bloom time is March/April.

on Feb 06, 2012 · Like 0
Peace Painting Co., Inc. Alpharetta, GA

Sitting outside on Superbowl night, we heard Spring Peepers already!

on Feb 06, 2012 · Like 0
Faidra at CA Global Inc Marietta, GA

thanks I was just wondering when to do that as I look at my knock out roses

on Feb 07, 2012 · Like 0
Garden Rebel / Sims Lands... Orlando, FL

I know! There are no weather guarantees with Mother Nature.

on Feb 07, 2012 · Like 0
Erica Glasener Atlanta, GA

Good advice Walter and it lets me off the hook!

on Feb 07, 2012 · Like 0
Douglas Hunt New Smyrna Beach, FL

Peepers in the night. There is a sound that is full of the promise of spring.

on Feb 07, 2012 · Like 1
Mary D Fort Smith, AR

Perfect advice! Prune too soon and you could be pruning again after a heavy frost and you could even lose the plant if you have to prune too deep.

on Feb 08, 2012 · Like 0
Donna J Conyers, GA

Thanks for the advice. My roses are sprouting all over but, I have been hesitating to prune them. It's easy to forget that we are in the second week of February.

on Feb 08, 2012 · Like 0
Flowerscapes Garden Desig... Suwanee, GA

I wait until Valentine's Day unless it is still to cold to produce any buds on the canes. I am really getting impatient regarding pruning my Climbing Pinkie. She is a sprawling monster now.

on Feb 08, 2012 · Like 0
Dawn El Cajon, CA

What about fruit trees? It's been unusually warm here and my plum, apricot and pear trees are starting to look like they want to bud. It's way too early and if they bud now, I will lose them all when the cold hits later this month. Any advice?

on Feb 08, 2012 · Like 0
Flowerscapes Garden Desig... Suwanee, GA

I just went through El Cajon. Introduced my son to the grapevine but ignored his pleas to drive it. You probably do not want to do the smelting pots. If you do not have too many, perhaps you can cover them up with a sheet at night and remove it during the day. If you use plastic, do not leave it on in the daytime, especially in the sun.

on Feb 08, 2012 · Like 0
David S Fayetteville, GA

I'VE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE ADVICE FROM MY VERY FIRST GARDENING BOOK .......SOUTHERN GARDENING BY CHARLES HUDSON .......HE SUGGESTED EARLY MARCH . AND AT ONE TIME I HEARD WALTER SAY THAT CREPE MYRTLES COULD BE PRUNED FOR SHAPING AT ANY TIME . JUST YESTERDAY I WAS DOING SOME HEAVY PRUNING ON MY 2 OF MY NATCHEZ CREPE MYRTLES . I HAVE ALSO , IN THE PAST , TRIMMED OFF FADED CRAPE MYRTLE BLOOMS AND GOT A SECOND BLAST OF BLOOMS ..

on Feb 09, 2012 · Like 2
Bill Fayetteville, GA

My Coral Bells azaleas are blooming. Since we're headed for the 20's this weekend, I suspect that the blooms will be shortlived and I'll have to wait until next year to enjoy their full blooming period.

on Feb 09, 2012 · Like 0
Flowerscapes Garden Desig... Suwanee, GA

Cover them up with a sheet or blanket during the freezing temps. Sometimes when there are just a couple of hours of freezing weather overnoght, there is not too much damage to plants. My fingers will be crossed!

on Feb 09, 2012 · Like 1
Kathy P Cumming, GA

I divided my daffodiles last year and all have come up, but some do not have flowers. Did I do it wrong? On another note, we need to cut down our Pompas grass. Has anyone come up with a good way to do this that doesn't make such a mess to clean up and cut you all to pieces?

on Feb 10, 2012 · Like 0
Bill Fayetteville, GA

And I have to cut my banana trees. That process also makes a huge mess. I think I'll attempt to use a chain saw this year and see how that goes.

on Feb 10, 2012 · Like 0
Douglas Hunt New Smyrna Beach, FL

@Kathy: Here's the most comprehensive description I've seen for a way to cut back pampas grass and not end up bloodied:
http://www.chathamjournal.com/weekly/news/ag... ...»

There are early, middle and late-blooming daffodils. Perhaps the ones that don't have buds yet are the late-blooming variety. Or there may have been some bulb offsets there were not large enough to produce blooms yet. If you have healthy foliage, you should eventually have blooms.

on Feb 11, 2012 · Like 0
David S Fayetteville, GA

BILL.....I ALSO LIVE IN FAYETTEVILLE .......AND CUT MY BANANA TREES BACK WEEKS AGO WHEN WE FIRST HAD 20 DEGREE WEATHER . AFTER THAT AS THE WEATHER HAS FLUXUATED I WOULD HAVE TO DIG DOWN INTO THE MULCH COVERING AND CHOP THEM OFF AGAIN .......AS I DID 2 DAYS AGO . THIS IS MY FIRST GO AT THIS AND I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE ADVISE OF MY BROTHER , WHO LIVES IN SMYRNA , AND HAS GROWN BANANAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS . HIS GET UP TO 10 AND 15 FEET TALL . BACK IN MAY HE GAVE ME 3 PUPS AND THEY GOT UP TO 7 ...»
FEET BEFORE A CUT THEM DOWN WITH A PRUNING SAW AND COVERED THEM WITH ABOUT 3 FEET OF MULCH .
DO YOU HAVE ANYOTHER TIPS FOR ME ?

on Feb 11, 2012 · Like 0
Bill Fayetteville, GA

David in Fayetteville - my bananas are at my lake house in TN right down at water's edge and they've added a lot to the landscape, but I'm tired of messing with the cleanup. I think this will be the last year I go through this mess. I'll start eradicating this fall and hopefully will be done with bananas and on to something else in their place. Hope you enjoy yours.

on Feb 12, 2012 · Like 0
Mary D Fort Smith, AR

Here it is the middle of February and we're getting our first snow in Arkansas. Very mild winter and the roses were trying to get new leaves! I'm glad I wasn't tempted to trim anything!

on Feb 13, 2012 · Like 0
Virggie D Evanston, IL

The more I cut rose bushes, the more they bloom. My yard is blessed with an abundant variety of rose bushes!

on Mar 31, 2012 · Like 0