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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

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  1. Home
  2. Garden

How to prune roses (the right way)

We demystify the process. - by Rachael Jones
  • 14 Oct 2020
How to prune roses (the right way)

Since we typically only prune our roses once a year, it can be tough remembering how and when to do it. If you need a refresher, here's our guide.

Hybrid Tea, Grandiflora, and Floribunda Roses

Cut back your hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda roses to about 18 inches tall in early spring, just before they start to grow. One guide to help you know when to prune is to watch for forsythia to bloom. In the coldest climates, prune these roses back to live growth. It may be as low as 8 inches, depending on how severe the winter was.

Because many of these types of roses are grafted, watch for any shoots that seem to be coming from the roots and not the rose stem. These are usually unwanted suckers from the root system and should be removed at ground level.

Though it may seem like butchering, pruning this way will give you plants that produce lots of lush blooms on sturdy stems.

pink rose bush
Getty

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses can be a little trickier to figure out. The best time for pruning depends on what kind of climbing rose you have. Prune those that bloom only once a year right after their blooms fade. Reblooming climbers, on the other hand, should be pruned in early spring.

Shrub Roses

Shrub roses may not need pruning at all, but it depends on what type you have. Many modern shrub roses require no pruning except to remove dead or damaged growth. If your shrub roses bloom once a year, lightly prune them back after their flowers fade. Prune back reblooming shrub roses in early spring.

cutting roses
Getty

Tips for Pruning Roses of All Types

  • Always remove dead, diseased, or damaged growth.
  • When cutting out diseased growth, dip the blades of your pruners in rubbing alcohol between each cut to help prevent spreading disease.
  • Avoid leaving dead, ugly stubs on stems by making your cuts about 1/4 inch above a leaf bud.
  • Prevent a tangled mess of rose shoots by making your cut to a bud that's pointing away from the centre of the plant. (Buds facing the centre will grow shoots that grow into the middle of the rose.)
  • Cut out any thin, weak growth. On most roses (except miniatures), the general rule is to cut back any stem thinner than a pencil's thickness.

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This article originally appeared on www.bhg.com

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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Tips for pruning roses

Tips for pruning roses

How To Grow Bulbs

How To Grow Bulbs

The cheapest way to grow your own vegies

The cheapest way to grow your own vegies

Four things flowers need to thrive

Four things flowers need to thrive

{headline}

{headline}

10 plants that grow surprisingly well in containers

10 plants that grow surprisingly well in containers

The easiest way to edge your lawn

The easiest way to edge your lawn

5 garden supply items for under $10 that will change your life

5 garden supply items for under $10 that will change your life

{headline}

{headline}

How to grow your own rosemary

How to grow your own rosemary

Three things you need to know for a successful garden

Three things you need to know for a successful garden

How to care for your trees

How to care for your trees

Simple bird bath hack for bees

Simple bird bath hack for bees

Summer vegies to plant now and mulch magic

Summer vegies to plant now and mulch magic

Garden Better: Winter vegies and how to plant bare-root roses

Garden Better: Winter vegies and how to plant bare-root roses

How to grow rose clippings in a potato

How to grow rose clippings in a potato

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