Rose Pruning Tips
Angie Noack

Pruning and deadheading are important parts of your rose care
routine. There are as many different opinions about how and
when to prune as there are roses in need of pruning.

While individual rosarians may have their favorite "tried and
true" methods, this article is geared towards new rosarians who
have no idea where to start. As time goes by you may feel the
urge to modify these techniques or even develop some new ones
of your own. That's great. Variety is the spice of life and
anything that doesn't kill your roses can't be that bad, right?

Rose pruning isn't as complicated as some people make it out to
be. In fact, there are only four basic rules and a few common
sense ones. If you keep these basic rules in mind every time
you pick up your pruning shears, you'll be rewarded with
beautiful bushes that reflect the care that you put into them.

1. Always keep the center of your bushes free of growth. This
denies insects a place to live, and allows good air circulation
which helps to keep down the instances of fungus infection.

2. Always remove any dead or decayed growth. This keeps your
bushes looking better and also denies disease and insects a
place to call home.

3. Shape your rose bushes as they grow. This adds symmetry to
your garden and transforms your bushes from wild and wooly to
prim and proper like all good roses should be.

4. Remove crossing branches to promote stronger growth,

Common sense rules

Always using sharp pruning shears and clean the shears after
use to remove any disease or fungus spores.

Seal the cuts you've made to keep out disease. Save your money
and use regular Elmer's glue. it works just fine and it's a lot
cheaper than commercial preparations.

Here's a look at common pruning terms and techniques as well as
some guidelines for what types of roses to use them with.

Hard or "Low" Pruning

Cut canes back to three or four buds from the base or the bud
unions. The end result is strong canes which are about 4 to 5
inches in length.

This pruning technique works best with new hybrid tea,
grandiflora, and floribunda varieties. You should not do hard
pruning with established bushes because they may not recycle.
The only exception is as a last-ditch effort to revive sick or
neglected bushes.

Moderate or Medium Pruning

Cut strong stems back to approximately half of their length.
Weaker stems may be cut back even more if needed.

This technique works fine with established gardens of
floribundas, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and tree roses.

Light or High/Long Pruning

Cut the canes back to around 2/3 of their length. After all
unwanted wood is removed any remaining stems are "tipped".

Light pruning is not generally recommended for most bushes as
it tends to produce early blooms and poorly developed flowers.
Use this technique only if others are not working and the bush
is an eyesore to begin with.

Angie Noack is a home and garden strategist
with a sharp edge for technology. With her unique ability to
combine these two skills, she's able to help gardeners save
time and increase productivity. You can find her online at
http://www.rosedigest.com


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