-
Step 1
Wait until late winter. This is the time of year to cut back the roses. Cut the flowercarpet roses back to about one third of their size. This helps new growth and flowering in the spring.
-
Step 2
Use shears. The shears need to be sharp so they make a clean cut. Using unsharpened shears leads to poor cutting quality, and it's possible to tear or damage the plant while trying to prune it. If the plant stem doesn’t cut immediately with the pruning shears, don’t twist or turn it to force the break. Stop pruning, sharpen the shears and try again.
-
Step 3
Shape them as desired. It’s fine to shape flowercarpet roses at any time throughout the year. Shaping involves cutting off between one and three inches to enhance the appearance of the plant. If the plant dries out and the leaves yellow, trim back the plant and give it plenty of water. In four to six weeks, new growth will appear. Flowercarpet roses are very tolerant, so don’t worry about pruning it incorrectly, as it won’t cause permanent damage to the plant.
-
Step 4
Feed them. When cutting the flowercarpet roses back, it stimulates new growth. Fertilize the plant either with a handful of fertilizer or some liquid fertilizer, and make sure to give it an adequate amount of water. This ensures they have what they need to grow and produce more flowers.
-
Step 5
Enjoy the flowers. Flowercarpet roses are long-blooming plants that are very hardy and insect-resistant. The blooms appear from late spring to late fall. They make great cut flowers, simply trim off a few flowers and place them in a small vase. They make great potted flowers, as well as ground cover plants in landscaping arrangements.
