How to Prune Roses in Australia
A well-tended rose bush accents your home's natural beauty and enhances a lawns landscaping. Part of growing beautiful roses in Australia is knowing how to keep them properly pruned. The reason rosebushes need regular pruning is to give the bush shape, remove the dead sections, improve the plant's circulation, promote blooming and to encourage growth. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Prune roses at least twice a year. Australian rose growers recommend pruning roses in June/July and again in January/February. If you are growing white or yellow roses, it is recommended that you eliminate the January pruning and only prune in June/July, since white and yellow rose bushes resent heavy pruning. The January pruning should be a light pruning, and many of the buds and first blooms will be eliminated in this pruning. Don't worry; they will come back in a month or two for the autumn bloom.
-
2
Use the pruners to remove any dead bits from the rose bush. Not only are these bits unsightly, but the dead section prevents other parts of the rosebush from getting an adequate amount of light.
-
-
3
Start at the bottom of the rose bush and work your way up. Take your time. After every few cuts, take a step back and study your work.
-
4
Prune the rose bush from the outside, gradually make your way towards the center. Pruning this way will allow light and air to reach the center of the rose bush and encourage new growth.
-
5
Remove any branches that have a circumference that is smaller then a pencil. These branches are weak and will break off if you don't prune them.
-
6
Cut at a 45-degree angle when you are pruning the rose bush. Make sure that your cuts aren't ragged. The key to a good clean cut is making sure the pruners and loppers are sharp.
-
7
Rust is a disease that often infects Australian roses. When you are pruning your roses, turn over the leaves and look for a powdery substance that is the color of dried mustard. The powder is rust. The only way to dispose of rust is to pluck the affected leaves from the rose bush and burn the leaves. Do not allow any infected leaves to drop onto the rose bed, as this will encourage it to spread.
-
8
Water your roses heavily when you have completed the January pruning. This will decrease the amount of stress the rose bushes are under and will encourage more autumn blooms. Most of Australia has dry soil and in order to keep roses healthy, they should get at least an inch of water every other day.
-
1
