Although this was for a California Publication, this applies to Atlanta as well. I have been growing roses in Georgia for 17 years now and loving it. Valentine's Day and roses go together just like a horse and carriage. February 14 is usually the time to prune these beautiful bushes. Even though roses are one of those plants that are rejuvenated by proper pruning, it is necessary to wait if there are not any reddish leaf buds swelling on the canes. (Canes are the main branches of a rose bush.) In general, this occurs around the middle of February to early March in Metro Atlanta. No power tools here! The cuts should be very specific. First, find the three to five healthiest and best looking canes that are not growing into the center of the plant. It should be fine if there are only two acceptable ones. Prune out all the other canes down to the bud union. This is where the graft took place and looks kind of knobby. Any stems growing below this point are suckers and will zap the energy from where it needs to go. Prune these off as well. Now cut off any branches and stems that are growing towards the inside or criss-crossing each other. Remember, a rose, like many shrubs, needs a lot of air circulation in the inside as well as around it to avoid diseases and remain healthy. Here comes the tricky part of rose pruning, finding the optimum place to cut the main canes. Usually
only one third to one half of the plant's height is cut off. If you have a four to six foot bush, do not cut off more than two or three feet, respectively. No matter how much you may wish it to be short, it will grow back in one season. Just put the right plant in the right spot and both you and the plant will be happy. Next, look for reddish swellings on a cane. Find one that is at the proper height to make the cut and is on the outside of the cane. At 1/4 of an inch above that bud, line up your hand pruner at a 45 degree angle, with the tip pointing outward and in the direction that you want the new growth to go. Ready, set, cut. Do this to all the remaining canes. After pruning you will need to rake up all of the old mulch around your roses or in the bed. In the south, just about all roses get a disease called Black Spot. This goes dormant in the winter and will emerge when the weather warms up. When the roses are watered or there is rainfall, the Black Spot splashes up from the ground onto the bush and its leaves, infecting the plant. However, if you remove all the leaf debris and old mulch, the disease is removed. For extra insurance, the soil can also be treated organically or with chemicals. After this, put down two to three inches of organic mulch such as wood mulch. Make sure to pull the mulch back about three inches from the base of the bush. (This step is actually necessary to do with all shrubs and trees.) Roses are heavy feeders and need fertilizer throughout the spring and summer. I even fertilize in early fall and if we do not get a hard freeze, many of my roses are still blooming in winter, especially First Prize, Queen
Elizabeth, and Graham Thomas.
