It's mid March and the ideal time to prune most species of Roses. In this post, I discuss in detail the various pruning methods for the different types of Roses you may have in your garden to ensure you have the best flower display possible. I also explain the Rose varieties that are pruned outside the traditional early spring season using a different method to the basic pruning technique described below.
When to prune: Prune most Roses in early spring (mid March to early April), with the exception of one time flowering shrub Roses (old garden Roses) such as Gallica, Damask, Alba and Rambling Roses which should be pruned late summer after flowering.
Why prune: To improve the health and quantity and quality of flowering.
Tools for the job: Sharp secateurs for most canes and sharp loppers for thicker woody material. A good quality pruning saw may be needed for very dense dead canes but use loppers where possible.
Basic Rose pruning technique for all Roses:
Identify the type of Rose you have and follow the recommended pruning method for each type. If unsure of the type of Rose, prune lightly by removing only 1/3rd of each cane in early spring and follow the below basic pruning guidelines:
Start by removing dead and diseased stems as well as spindly or crossing canes
Remove unproductive older thicker wood with little sign of newer growth or buds
Shorten remaining healthy canes by 1/3rd pruning to outward facing bud to encourage an open centered shape. Pruning cuts should slope downwards so water does not collect on surface of cut
Hybrid Tea Roses:
Heavy pruning is required for a good flower display
Remove dead, damaged, diseased or rubbing canes
Remove weak canes to ground level
Shorten remaining strong canes to 1-2 feet above ground level and prune ¼ above an outward facing bud and at a sloping angle so water does not collect on pruned surface
Repeat Flowering Shrub Roses:
Prune lighter then Hybrid Tea Roses. Aim for an open, strong structure that will support prolific flowers this summer. This group include David Austin English Roses, Bourbon, China and Portland Roses.
Remove the 3D’s as per above
Remove overcrowded canes pruning above and outward facing bud
Remove shoots crowding into the center and cut them back to a main stem to encourage a less congested, more open center form
Shorten remaining strong stems by 1/3rd
Shorten strong sideshoots to 2 or 3 buds
David Austin English roses: prune back the previous season’s growths by 30 to 50 percent of their length
*Mature shrubs require a light renewal pruning by cutting some of the older main stems back to the base. This encourages vigorous new shoots from the base that will flower the following summer
Single Flowering Shrub Roses:
Includes species (Gallica, Alba, Damask etc), Shrub and Rugosa groups. Pruning time is late summer after flowering
Remove the 3D’s, crossing and spindly growth
Avoid excessive build-up of older, unproductive wood that is causing the centre to become crowded, removing one or two older branches from the centre
If they become leggy and bare at the base, remove one or two stems back to near ground level, which will usually encourage new growth from the base
Rosa Rugosa is best left unpruned to retain its compact shape but to control size just prune out the tallest or perimeter canes to ground level
Climbing Roses:
If newly planted and establishing, allow new canes to grow for 2 years before doing any shortening of canes and tie in the strongest canes to support structure to form a framework for sideshoots. Remove any weak canes at this time. After the second year canes develop sideshoots from the main framework. Shorten sideshoots and remove dead canes.
For established climbers aim to maintain a framework of long stems trained laterally with side branches breaking from them. These side branches will carry the flowers on new growth produced in spring. Ideally a third of the plant is removed each year, pruning out the oldest, woodiest stems so that it is constantly renewing itself.
Rambling Roses:
Flower once in mid-summer with clusters of smaller flowers. Examples include New Dawn, Albertine & Dorothy Perkins. These need little pruning but should be trained and trimmed immediately after flowering as the flowers are carried mostly on stems grown in late summer.
Groundcover Roses:
Once established, prune off 6 inches of growth before buds begin to form. When they become too large and congested they can be renovated by pruning to near ground level (4in) from the base in late winter.
General rose pruning tip: After pruning Roses it’s best to mulch around them with aged manure and/or compost to provide nutrients to the plant. I like to use Steer manure for this. I don’t tend to cultivate into existing soil as it can damage surface level feeder roots so I just topdress or mulch the surface.
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