Pruning roses
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Can I prune rose bushes in late May?
5 answers
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Hi Denise, it depends on the type of rose bush and what you mean by pruning. If you want a major cut and reshaping of your rose bush, it's not the season, the right season is during the period where plants are hibernating, but there are two schools, the fall/winter and the early spring school. If you live in a climate where sudden late frost may set in at a time when rose bushes are budding andwhen leaves have started to develop, don't make a major cutback in fall/winter , instead make a medium/small cutback to have something left to cut in case of frostbites in late spring. By covering up the basis of the bushes during winter (from the ground level and up above the draft point), you delay the bushes reaction to spring temperature (they "wake up" late) . This way you can minimize the risk of late frost in case the roses started budding too early (frost penetrates and destroys the plant even further down if the buds have sprung as buds are soft and full of water and lead the low temperature deeper into the plant, therefore the frost damage is worst in late spring then in early spring). The type of pruning (how much to cut back) depends on the type of roses (climbing, tea-roses, mini-roses, etc..) + whether your variety is flowering several times a year or not -or has continuous flowering, so for deciding that you really need to know the variety or at least the type of bush (have someone help you in a plant-nursery or at a rose-producer). Else: all rose bushes benefit from ongoing "light-handed" pruning in order to prevent the fruit from developping out of the flower. This is to be done throughout the flowering season and he right time is after each individual rose has lost its petals or slightly before. You count about 3 to 4 leaves below the crown and cut diagonally with the top against the cornerof the leaf, so that rain water will not be lead into the corner of the leaf (wherefrom a new shot will develop and to prevent it from rotting). If you live in a hot summer climate, rose bushes will often go into a kind of rest period during the hottest months, it's also an OK time to prune back a little and cut back to where branches seem strong and thick (remove thin, weak branches that do not have buds and just hang there) when the temperatures drop and the bush will start budding again it can concentrate on budding on strong branches. Remember to have a very sharp tool to cut , to keep it sharpened and to desinfect it with alcohol especially when going from bush to bush or of you start seeing mildew etc...else it's spreading diseases, some of them are very insidious like virous. Alcohol is very good against virus and fungus-type rose diseases. Dead branches may be removed all year round. Beware of dead leaves accumulating below bushes, since the fallen, dead leaves often carry disease. Never add these to your compost of course. Burn them/throw away. To have better access, make som air there by pruning the lowest branches (it will make it easier to clean the area) and if you have for instance lavender banches, cover up the area with lavender branches (they can remain a couple of years) to retain humidity -clay tiles are fine also- or stones. Choose large, flat stones to be able to access the earth easily and regularyprune/clean. Branches BELOW the draft point MUST be pruned, they do not carry flowers and tap the bush from energy. They are usually very fast growers and make large branches that seem so vital one hesitates to cut, but do prune these, all year round. The ongoing care and "light-handed" pruning of roses gives more flowers and enables you to have a regular look at potential pest and start pest control at an early stage, and to keep it organic, something roses like best.
Carole
on May 27, 2015
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I do mine in fall! but I also cut off the died flowers & leafs during summer! Hope this helps you @Denise Angel Williams
Elaine Freimuth
on May 27, 2015
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Thanks, Df.vin.import. I've grown roses for years, and still learned from your post!
Mary Ker
on May 27, 2015
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You CAN trim lightly...dead leaves etc..but you want to whack them on Presidents Day..Old Wives lore handed down thru many many Master Gardeners!
Jen
on May 27, 2015
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anything dead, deceased or damaged, you should prune anytime. Some rose bloom on new growth, others on last years growth, so know your roses. Floribundas can be cut back severely in the spring and will flower the same year . . Rugosas can be pruned heavily in the fall or spring . . http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/a/RosePruning.htm
Jocelyne marchand
on May 27, 2015
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