How to prune roses

Content

Method 2 of 3: Trim Correctly
Method 3 of 3: Heal Your Roses with Pruning
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

1 Prune roses immediately after the last frost is over. Depending on the region you live in, this could be early or mid spring. It is best to prune roses immediately after the last frost to remove dry or diseased stems. If you wait until the cold weather ends, roses will not be affected by cold temperatures or ice.

In mild climates, roses can also be pruned in winter, but towards the end. Look online for information about the temperatures at which roses can already be pruned to have a neat and healthy bush in the spring.
You can also prune roses in the fall, but you need to wait for the first frost.

2 Trim when the buds begin to swell. This is a sign that the shrub is ready to be pruned. When the buds are just starting to swell, you can carefully prune the bush without harming it.

Examine the stems for signs of bud swelling. If you don't see small new buds, postpone pruning for a few more weeks.
When the buds swell, they take on a reddish tint. This is another sign that the bush can be pruned.

3 Prune your roses according to the variety. Some roses need to be pruned after flowering, not while they are at rest. While pruning at other times of the year will most likely not harm the bush, it will not do the trick either. If you are unsure what kind of rose you have, look out for the following signs that may give you a clue:

If the bush gives new growth in spring, and flowers appear on these young shoots, such a rose should be cut during the dormant period, when the buds have just begun to swell. If so, wait until next spring with pruning.
If flowers appear on old shoots rather than new ones, the rosebush should be pruned after flowering.
Hybrid tea roses, ideally, should be pruned in the spring, when the threat of severe cold weather has already passed, but the buds have not yet begun to swell. However, there is usually nothing wrong with pruning a little earlier or later. If you cut your roses too early, they may bloom later, but if you rush too quickly, they may suffer more frost damage.

Method 2 of 3: Trim Correctly

1 Get a good pruner and a long-handled lopper. A pruner is needed for thin stems and a delimber for thick stems. Make sure your tools are sharp enough to make a clean cut without tearing or crushing the stem.
2 Wipe the secateurs with rubbing alcohol before cutting. Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol each time you move on to the next bush. This is to disinfect the instrument and prevent the transmission of diseases such as black spot from plant to plant.
3 Cut at a 45 degree angle. Thus, water will drain from the cut, and not collect in it. This helps prevent the development of disease and mold. Cut at an angle towards the center of the plant.
4 Trim the stems about half a centimeter above the outward nodes of the bush. Nodes are reddish bumps on the stems from where new branches grow. If you cut the stem just above the node, you channel the plant's energy towards it and stimulate new branches to grow. Choose nodes that point outward of the bush, not inward, so that new branches grow out to the sides rather than towards the center of the bush.
5 Cover the cuts with white or wood glue. This is optional, but useful if you have garden pest problems. The glue will help stop harmful insects and prevent stem diseases.

Method 3 of 3: Heal Your Roses with Pruning

1 Remove dead stems. These are blackened, shriveled stems that no longer produce new branches and leaves. Healthy stems are strong and green or brown in color. Take a pruner or lopper and cut off the dead stems as close to the base as possible. If you find a stem that appears to be partially alive, trim it half a centimeter above one of the nodes.
2 Remove stepsons. These are young shoots sprouting from the ground next to a rose bush. They take away nutrients from the older plant, thereby weakening it.
- Cut off the stepsons at the very base, and do not just shorten, otherwise they will only grow even stronger.
- You may need to scoop up the ground a little to cut the stepson at the very root.
3 Cut thin and crossed stems. The very thin and weak-looking stems, like the stems that grow in the center of the bush, should also be cut off at the very base. They are detrimental to the health of the bush by interfering with air circulation and giving your rose an unkempt look.
4 Cut off the remaining healthy stems. Considering the fact that new branches are growing from nodes, trim the remaining stems to give the bush the desired shape. Cut the stems half a centimeter from the outward-facing node so that new shoots grow outward as well. Decide how high the bush should be and prune it accordingly.
5 Remove wilted flowers. During the growing season, flowers will bloom on the bush, which will then wither. Removing them is good for the health of the rose. Energy directed to wilted flowers will be redirected to the formation of new ones. Cut off the old flower along with the peduncle just above the first five-leaf leaf.

Tips

After pruning the roses, rake the area around them and add new mulch. This will help minimize the likelihood of illness.
Cover the sections with inexpensive white or wood glue.
Do not use cut pieces of roses for compost. Diseases like black spot can survive and infect the bush.
Roses don't just hold up well to pruning, but they really need it. So be bold!
Apply a fungicide spray recommended for rose bushes. Spray the bushes after pruning and covering the cut.