It’s that time of year--the time when gardeners begin planning for spring and pruning their shrubs to ensure their best growth and biggest blooms.
This means it’s time to give your roses a little extra attention by prepping them for a lively and colorful spring! You don’t need to be a rose aficionado to boost your rose blooms this year.
You do need a little know-how and planning, though. So, find your pruning shears ready, grab your leather gloves, and get ready to give your roses the pick-me-up they need.
Have No Fear! Rose Pruning Tips Are Here!
If you’re ready to wake those roses up, you can get started with pruning them now, then follow up with plant food once the weather begins to warm.
When should you prune your roses? This depends on your growing zone. Late winter and early spring will work for most zones, but for optimal growth and blooms, try to schedule your rose pruning after your last frost.
However, don’t get too much in a rush! Pruning your roses too early could force the plants to begin growing before they are ready.
A good guideline is:
Zone 10: January
Zone 9: January to February
Zone 8: February to March
Zones 7, 6, and 5: March to April
Zones 4 and 3: May
How to Prune Your Roses
Roses are often regarded as the most high maintenance of shrubs--and the most rewarding. But with so many improved cultivars, most roses are pretty hardy and easy to care for once you get the hang of it.
- First things first, you need gloves that will protect your arms up to your elbows! You also want to use shears that have been oiled and are ready to snip away the old to make room for the new.
- Begin the pruning process by removing your rose’s old leaves. This reduces the risk of diseases carrying over from fall and allows you to get a clear picture of your rose’s structure.
- Prune away deadwood, first. If it’s brown and hollow, cut it back as close to the base as you can.
- Then move onto cleaning up any stringy, weak, and wiry branches. Any growth that is thinner than a straw can be snipped to its base. These superfluous branches will steal nutrients from healthier and stronger branches. They will also create a more disorganized appearance.
- Start pruning your healthy canes at the base and work upward. Then cut any branches that cross over others or grow inward. Remember to keep cuts as close to their base as you can.
- Now, prune healthy, robust canes. This step is slightly more technical than the others, but don’t stress about it. It’s easy once you have the first few done.
How to prune healthy rose canes:
Find where the cane has a node, this is where it had a bud or branch. Choose a node that was growing outward (away from the center of the plant). About a ¼-inch to a ½-inch above the node, cut the branch at a 45-degree angle with the pointy end pointing away from the center of the rose bush.
“Do I Have to Prune My Roses?”
Not necessarily, depending on which varieties you own and how much you care about a refined, well-kept appearance. Many smaller varieties will keep an orderly appearance without much maintenance.
Groundcover roses often only need to be cleaned up if they reach over walkways or other areas you don’t want them.
On the other hand, if your roses touch other plants, you will want to prune them to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Pruning also provides your roses with the best opportunity for prolific blooms and a strong branch structure.
Pruning Your Climbing Roses
So, you likely read the previous pruning directions and thought…. “Well, what's the center of a climbing rose like the Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose?”
Pro Tip : Climbing roses should not be pruned until after the first round of blooms finishes!
When pruning a climbing rose, you will still want to remove old, dead canes. Normally, the June bloom comes from the oldest canes, so when those older, thicker canes are done blooming their hearts out, they can be cut.
Now, the younger, new canes can take over!
But you can forget about figuring out the center. Instead, only prune the horizontal canes that you do not like the appearance of--not the vertical canes. This will ensure your rose has enough energy to flower.
As the Mercury Rises, Remove That Mulch
As the weather warms, pull the mulch away from the base of the plants. The mulch prevents freezing and thawing which can damage the plants.
You don’t have to remove all of your rose’s mulch, just be sure it has a buffer of about six inches around the base.
Roses Wake Up Hungry: Be Sure to Feed Them
Like other plants, roses need the most nutrients during their growing phase. This means you Spring. So, you will want to set your rose up for spring success with a healthy dose of fertilizer to promote optimal growth--and flowering.
When should you feed your roses? For established rose bushes, you can apply liquid fertilizer once new-growth is about 5 to 8 inches in length.
For new rose plants, wait until they’ve settled in. This will take about 4 weeks.
What’s on the menu? You can find a wide array of rose fertilizers that will ensure your rose blooms its heart out and remains healthy between applications.
Fish Sh!t has fish emulsions (which roses love), and it’s a versatile, organic plant food that you can use throughout your garden.
Go bananas. Before you toss your banana peel in your compost pile, consider slicing it up and burying it around your rose. Banana peels have a lot of potassium for bigger blooms!
To Spray Or Not to Spray?
“Life is like a rose garden — watch for the thorns and keep the pest dust handy” --Anonymous
Many of our new rose varieties have built in disease resistance, but for those that are slacking spraying may be a good choice.
Spraying your roses protects your investment from fungi, rose diseases, and pests. With all the advancements in the gardening world, most rose sprays are pretty easy to use, gentle, and target non-beneficial pests.
If you’re going to spray your roses (which we highly recommend), be sure to do so before your pollinators become active. You also want to spray when the winds are not heavy and it’s too hot out.
There are also excellent organic sprays such as Rose Rx if you’re not a fan of harsh chemicals.
Keep in mind that you’ll want your roses mulched well. Always water at the roots to keep the foliage dry. This will also help prevent disease problems!
If you’re looking for the best roses for your needs check out our guide that can help you decide which variety will make your heart pitter-patter.
Spring is near and with just a little work, your roses will be ready for a bountiful, colorful, and beautiful spring!
Happy gardening!
