How to Prune Tall Rose Bushes

Tall roses, also most often known as climbing roses, add a beautiful fountain of color to any garden. Like most roses, proper pruning can result in a healthier rose bush with more abundant blooms to beautify your garden. But, unlike shorter rose bushes and rose shrubs, there are additional techniques needed to enhance growth and blooming.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sharp pruning shears
• Garden gloves
• Lopping shears or pruning saw

1. Don’t prune a climbing rose for the first 2 or 3 years to allow them to establish canes. Depending on the rose prune only in winter (for hybrid teas and repeat bloomers) when the plant is dormant-all leaves have dropped off, and there are no visible signs of growth. If the rose blooms only once a year, prune after flowering.

2. Prune out diseased or dead canes, and older gray (woody) canes since these tend to be good for only a few seasons. Save the green healthy canes. Thin out less vigorous new canes and remove twiggy growth so that light and air can move throughout the plant.

3. Shape the plant by choosing a desired cane length, and then cutting back to a 5-leaved stem or lateral (small branches). New blossom buds usually are nestled at the base of the stem.

4. Clip back laterals (small branches) for hybrid teas and repeat bloomers until only two leaf buds are visible on each flowering shoot. For one-time bloomers, clip back until only 4 or 5 leaf sets remain on each flowering shoot.

5. Clean up all debris and dispose of properly to avoid pests and disease wintering on the trimmings.

Tips & Warnings

• Not sure what kind of rose you have? Bring in a bloom and leaf to your local nursery, and they’ll identify it for you so you know which pruning technique to use.
• When pruning, always prune at an angle to prevent standing water on the “open wound” of the branch. This helps it seal more quickly.
• For thicker canes, use a lopping shear or pruning saw.
• Rose thorn scratches can become infected. If you are scratched, clean well with soap and water, and apply disinfectant.