How to Force Roses into Going Dormant
Roses need a period of dormancy--no growth, no leaves, no flowers--to help maintain their health and improve their blooming during spring through fall. But in warmer parts of the country, the pleasant climate and lack of chilly days and nights often results in the roses continuing to grow. Unattended, this can result in spindly branches and smaller roses over time. As part of your winter garden maintenance and plant pruning, it’s a good idea to force your rose into dormancy, so that it shuts down and literally “goes to sleep” until spring returns. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Carefully strip off all the leaves and their stems back to the branch. The best way to do this is by pulling the leaves and leaf stem down following the branch’s angle back into the bush. This will snap off the stem cleanly from the branch. An added benefit to doing this is you can clearly see the rose bush’s branch configuration and plan pruning accordingly. The lack of leaves signals to the plant it’s time to go dormant.
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Prune to remove all dead or diseased wood, cut back the canes and thin out twigs and thin branches. You will need pruning shears, lopping shears and possibly a pruning saw.
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Remove any canes that are crossing and on top of each other, and prune out spindly twigs and branches out of the center of the bush to ensure light and air can circulate. Depending on the rose type and its location, you made need to cut the canes back to a height of 12 to 24 inches, shaping them to accommodate their location.
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Clean up all leaves and pruning debris and dispose of them properly to avoid pests and disease wintering on the trimmings.
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Tips & Warnings
When pruning, always prune at an angle to prevent standing water on the “open wound” of the branch. This helps it seal more quickly.
Some gardeners like to seal the open cuts on shrubs and bushes to minimize infection. For an environmentally friendly and child-safe option, consider using water-based Elmer’s glue.
Don't spray water on the bush immediately after pruning; you may increase the risk of infection on the cut because it is open. Give the cut a few hours to seal over.
Rose thorn scratches can become infected. Clean scratches with soap and water and then apply a disinfectant or antibiotic ointment.
