How To Prune Rose Bushes Properly

by K. Finch

Once winter ends and the spring moves in, dedicated gardeners dig out their gardening tools and get ready for the new season full of roses. Many of these gardeners grab their shears and put on gloves and set out to their garden to prune their rose bushes. Pruning rose bushes allows for the new buds to bloom in spring. Since rose bushes go dormant, depending on where you live, you may be able to prune your rose pushes before spring. For example, if you live in a warmer climate, you can prune your rose bushes in the fall.

As any gardener should do, take the time to get to know your plants. Gardeners who are planning to prune their rose bushes should figure out what kind of roses they have. Every rose bush is different from the next. The main purpose of pruning a rose bush is to remove and reduce parts of the bush overall. These parts can be pruned off because they are unnecessary. Getting rid of these unneeded pieces will allow more air to flow to the bush as well as more sun distribution. Both of these factors will keep the plant healthy which leads to more beautiful blooms of roses.

New to pruning? No problem. Follow these five straightforward and simple steps and before you know it your rose bush will be pruned to perfection. No matter what kind of rose bush you have, these techniques are sure to work for every single type.

1. Before you begin to prune your rose bush, make sure you have a sharp and effective pair of hand shears. To begin, cut away the dead wood and remove any canes that are broken or damaged. If you are not sure as to what good and bad wood is, know that live wood is usually a greenish color and dead wood is usually black or a dark brown color. Living wood will be white inside. The importance of getting rid of dead canes is that it prevents any sort of disease or manifestation to spread to other parts of the plant. Pieces of wood that are thin should also be gotten rid of to promote the growth of healthier canes.

2. The next step is to prune. Make sure that all of your pruning cuts are made just above the buds, usually around ¼ inch. Also make sure that all of your cuts are clean. For a clean cut, angle your shears at a 45 degree angle. Try to avoid incomplete cuts. These can attract disease and insects. A rose bud resembles a small ball that grows along the length of the stem. New shoots of roses will grow here, so it is important that you do not remove the buds. If you do, don't fret, you just might be a few roses short. When pruning, cut the buds that face inwards. Cutting these specific buds will encourage growth of roses that point outwards. An outward budding plant receives more sunlight and air. Cutting these buds also allows for a better shape.

3. During the pruning process, it is also important to get rid of suckers and rootstock and dead cane. These usually emerge from the ground. These are important to get rid of because they attract bugs and disease that could ruin your rose bush. Don't forget to pick up all of the debris around the plant. Instead, throw it away in the trash so that it does not attract bugs to your plant

4. If the cut you are making is important, you might want to seal it with white wood glue. A significant cut would be one that is wider than the diameter of a pencil. These cuts should be sealed to help the plant heal quicker. Sealing also makes the pruning process less traumatic for the rose bush and keeps the insects away.

5. Lastly, it is important to prune your rose bushes properly throughout the growing season as well as year round. Always check the rose buds for vigor. If you see a piece of the bush that is positioned in the wrong way, remove it once the plant has bloomed. It is also vital to deadhead the rose bush. This means removing dead blossoms. This allows for better growth in the next growing season. Happy pruning!

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