How to Prune Rose Bushes

Pruning roses is easy if you follow a few time-tested rules. The basic principle for all roses except climbers is to direct all growth outward in a regular and even fashion, keeping the center of the rose open so air can circulate to prevent disease.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• sharp bypass pruners
• long handled pruners (loppers)
• a pair of heavy gloves
• rubbing alcohol
• long sleeves to protect your arms

1. 
   45-degree Angle Cut

   You can cut out dead or diseased wood any time of the year, but roses need major pruning in late winter or early spring when they're first starting to send out new growth. The new growth is usually little red buds that will turn into new stems or leaves. When pruning, it's important to make a 45-degree cut 1/4 inch above an outward facing bud. This will ensure that the new growth will be directed up and away from the center of the bush allowing for better air circulation.

2. 
   The black bars indicate where cuts would be made on this rose bush.

   The first step in a successful pruning job is to cut out any completely dead wood, which is black or dark gray. Then remove any branches that are rubbing against others, crossing one another, or damaged or diseased. The areas where the branches rub each other can leave your plant open to disease so it is a MUST that they be removed.

3. 
   Example of a rose AFTER pruning.

   Now you need to decide what to keep. Look carefully at your rose bush and pick out three to six canes as your "keepers". These canes should be at least as thick as a pencil, but trim out stems that are too thick or too old. The keepers need to spread out from the center of the bush. Remove all of the other thin and spindly growth. Then cut the canes you are going to keep to a height of 1-3 feet tall. It may seem like drastic surgery, but the rose will survive. After pruning each plant, clean your equipment with the rubbing alcohol to prevent spreading disease between the plants.

4. 
   Where to cut when deadheading or cutting roses.

   When you are cutting some of your beautiful roses to take inside to enjoy or even when you are deadheading your roses, you are pruning your bush. This will ultimately affect the shape and health of your rose. Therefore, it's important to cut carefully and correctly. Make the cut just above a leaf with five little leaflets facing away from the center of the bush. This will ensure strong new growth at the point of the cut.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid painting or dabbing any substance on the cuts. They'll heal nicely by themselves.
• The heavy gloves are a MUST when pruning thorny roses in order to protect your hands.
• Climbing roses are pruned differently so check out my article on HOW TO PRUNE CLIMBING ROSES.
• Some antique roses and old garden roses bloom on old wood rather than new wood so check out my article HOW TO PRUNE AN OLD WOOD ROSE.

Resources

• How to Prune Climbing Roses
• How to Prune Old Wood Roses
• How to Prune a Hedge
• How to Prune Specific Vines
• How to Plant a Bare Root Rose

[smidgen]

on 5/16/2008 What an articulate article and it is so well written.

[lschofield]

on 3/20/2008 Thank you! Detailed and informative! I've written an eHow article on how to keep your cut flowers fresh - there's a special trick for woody stemmed flowers like roses. You can check it out at http://www.ehow.com/how_2227479_cut-flowers-stay-fresh-longer.html. Combined with this article, you've got a how-to for having beautiful flowers for next to no cost!

[AmyJaine]

on 3/20/2008 Great Article.

[anotherjen01]

on 3/19/2008 Good tips. We recently moved into a new house that has roses. I'm going to follow your advice. Thanks!

[writetruth]

on 3/19/2008 Good Article. This is how I prune my roses and they sure reward you for it.