How to Prune and Deadhead Rose Bushes
Shakespeare once wrote that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. However, if your rose bush looks weedy and half dead, any name you give it will not make it look better. Careful pruning and deadheading, along with regular water and plant food, will make a rose bush look its best. To make your rose blooms smell sweet and stand proudly, trim them properly to encourage new growth to last throughout the warmer months of the year.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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1
Examine your rose bush, looking for rose blooms that are wilted or dead and canes and leaves that have shriveled and turn brown or black. Notice if there are any suckers growing out of the root base that can drain the life from the main bush.
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2
Prune the wilted and dead roses by cutting the cane or stem of the rose close to the first five-leaf grouping. Trim the cane at a 45-degree angle. This will help the rose bush avoid dirt and infection from entering the bush. Leave the five-leaf grouping intact so it will form a new shoot and bud.
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3
Dab a small amount of white glue over the cut area to prevent boring insects and other bugs from getting inside the cane.
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4
Trim deadwood at a 45-degree angle until you find a white or light green pith. Cut the cane away in small portions to avoid cutting too much of the plant away.
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5
Cut off spindly or weed-like growth down to the union or base of where the cane began.
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6
Dig out suckers with a spade. You can trim them back, but they will eventually regrow. The best way to permanently remove a sucker is to dig it out at the root base.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Prune in warm weather. Avoid pruning your rose bushes in cold weather as the canes can shrivel and die off.
Use sharp pruning sheers to make a clean cut.
Practice caution when working with sharp implements and plants with thorns.
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References
- Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
