The Best Way to Prune Rose Bushes for Winter

Roses.

The primary aim when pruning roses is to produce an optimum display of blossoms on an attractively shaped bush. Pruning helps speed up the natural growth cycles of the plant, whereby old, weak growth can be easily replaced by new vigorous shoots that flower more freely.

Timing

Pruning is done when the plant is dormant. The dormant stage generally occurs in autumn and continues on until the early spring. To prepare for winter, prune your rose bushes when the leaves fall from the trees. Do not prune in very cold weather since the bud growth below the pruning cut can become damaged by extreme weather and the new shoot may die back. Where winters are severe, it may be best to postpone pruning until early spring.

Equipment

Start with a clean pair of handheld pruning shears with scissors-like blades. Most brands of pruning shears can cut stems up to 1/2 inch in diameter. For thicker canes, choose a pair of long-handled lopping shears and possibly a fine-toothed pruning saw. Additionally, it would be wise to don a pair of sturdy, thorn-proof gloves. Gauntlet-style gloves make an excellent choice, as they protect the forearms as well as the hands.

Pruning

To remove old, spindly, twiggy growth, place the blades of the pruning shears 1/4 inch above a viable bud. Cut at a slight sloping angle, positioning the blades away from the bud. This type of cut encourages outward growth of the rose bush. To encourage a more upward growth pattern, prune choosing inward facing buds instead. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased growth from the rose bush. If two canes are rubbing against each other, remove one. In the end, 1/3 of the bush should be removed to make way for new growth in the spring.

Finishing

When you have finished cutting away the unwanted portions of the rose bush, seal cuts larger than 1/8 inch in diameter with white glue or fingernail polish. This will prevent pests known as cane borers from entering the canes and harming the plant. Pick or trim off any remaining foliage and clean up dropped trimmings.

References

• Rose Gardening Made Easy: Pruning Rose Bushes
• Prepare Your Garden for the Winter