Pruning and maintenance of your roses is essential for you to get the very best out of them. Make sure you are equipped with the right tools and are caring for the plants at the right time of year.
Pruning Tips
- Pruning is essential for long term health and should be carried out in February when the rose is dormant.
- The first prune of Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses should take back 3/4 buds from the base.
- Climbers, Ramblers and Shrubs should be taken back about 6 inches from the ground on the first prune.
- Pruning is easy, with the rule of thumb for established bushes to be pruned a 1/3 of its original size in a frost-free period from mid February -March.
- Always prune out any weak or weedy growth.
- Roses can be trimmed back after they finish flowering in November to stop wind-rock, but main pruning is done late winter /early spring.
Rose Maintenance
- Water your roses regularly. Make sure it gets a least 2 inches of water a week. (Deep soaking is much better than frequent, shallow watering).
- Throughout the blooming cycle, feed your roses consistently and use fertiliser to support healthy growth.
- Deadheading will keep your roses looking attractive and encourage more blooms.
- You can cut off dead/damaged wood, misplaced stems, or even suckers anytime of the year.
- Cuts must be clean, so keep your secateurs sharp. For larger stems, use loppers or a pruning saw.
