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!

About the Author
Check out The Joy of Rose Gardening now at http://www.roseflowergarden.com, to find great articles, advice, tips and much more on rose gardening topics.

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Gardening: Caring for Roses Tips

by Lucy Gartner

A lot of people would love to consider gardening caring for roses. These flowers are among the most beautiful in the world. The usual problem though is that growing roses may become difficult if you aren't familiar with the right methods to handle them. Here are some basic tips to follow when caring for roses.

Before Planting

First of all, you should know that there are many different kinds of roses. Not all of them will grow well in the area where you live. The first step should therefore be to find out which kinds are best for your area. You can quickly research on this online or you can also ask some of your neighbors who grow roses for recommendations. Once you've settled on a kind you want to grow, you also have to consider the availability of an ideal area for roses. The spot for your roses should be accessible to sunlight, should be spacious and should have clean, rich and dry soil.

Feeding

Roses are plants that can really figuratively munch. You should therefore have a ready store of food for your roses. Not every rose expert will agree on the right way to feed roses. Some suggest giving roses small but regular meals. There are stores that sell packed rose food but always pick a brand with lots of nutrients.

Don't get too excited though. Some roses will simply not do well if you fertilize them too much. The general rule is that new rose plants should only be minimally fertilized. Only full grown roses should be given standard cup fertilizer rations. Some fertilizers are especially formulated for weekly use. These kinds of fertilizers however are not necessary. You can always opt for rose fertilizers that need to be mixed with the soil only once or twice annually.

Water Supply

It's obvious that gardening caring for roses won't be complete without watering. There are different recommendations but the usual tip is to give one or two inches of water every seven days. Water should be allowed to seep deep into the soil. It is often suggested too that water should not keep the soil and leaves wet for 24 hours. Water retention can be a cause for rose illnesses.

Cutting Stems

Pruning is a basic rose grooming tip you shouldn't neglect. You can start pruning as soon as buds make an appearance. Before you cut healthy stems, remove all the dead ones first. You should then consider diagonally cutting some chosen stems. This will allow you to shape your rose plant according to your preference.

Chemical Spray

One way to stop roses from getting sick is to spray them. You don't need to go into a lot of trouble. All you have to do is to buy a pre-mixed spray solution. You then just need to follow the package instructions for frequency and amount of application. Spraying is your best defense against common rose ailments.

Some may imagine that gardening caring for roses is difficult. All you really need though is a lot of time, diligence and patience to offer your rose plant.

About the Author
Discover the secrets of being a greenthumb. Discover more about gardening from gardening tips - caring for roses and more to vegetable gardening brisbane style.

Source: www.goarticles.com