B&Q shares how to prune roses in spring
Roses are one of the few plants that can’t be over-pruned which means it’s an easy job for most gardeners to tackle in the spring. Roses need pruning in order to remain healthy so they produce the best flowers later on in the year.
Removing dead or diseased canes also stops infection from spreading to the rest of the plant.
While pruning can seem daunting, the rules of pruning are fairly simple and can be transferred across to other plants.
Henry Bravo, founder and editor-in-chief of SmartGardenHome.com has shared the “right” method for pruning roses which encourages both “healthy growth and blooming”.
Mr Bravo said pruning should be attempted during early spring or late winter when the plants are still dormant.
He continued: “Pruning flowers encourages healthy growth and blooming and helps plants focus their energy on producing new, healthy blossoms and stems, but it’s really important you do it right.
“Pruning should be done when the plant is dormant during late winter or early spring.
“For Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and Grandifloras, prune the canes back no more than one-third of their original length and remove all of the dead, diseased, or damaged canes.
“You can also prune away any canes that are growing at extreme angles.
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“For climbing roses, prune the shoots by one-third for the first three years and then prune the oldest canes back the hardest.”
When to prune roses will depend on where gardeners are located as temperatures will vary.
Those in northern parts of the country will find they can prune later on while those in the south will need to ensure the plant is still dormant before pruning.
Gardeners will know when to start pruning around the time new growth starts to appear.
When pruning, gardeners need to remember to use heavy-duty gloves as roses can be very thorny. Gloves that spread up the forearm are best to avoid scratches.
Bypass secateurs are the best tool to use when pruning roses as they are similar to using scissors.
They can also be used to cut back plants and prune other shrubs and plants.
If the stems of roses are more woody and established, then it’s best to use anvil secateurs.
Rose bushes live for approximately five to seven years. After winter it can sometimes be hard to know whether a rose bush has died or is just dormant.
To check, simply scrape the bark away from a stem to see what’s underneath. If it’s green, the plant is alive and should start producing new leaves and shoots soon.
If the interior of the stem is brown, black or brittle then it’s likely the plant is dying or is already dead.
The plant may be revived if more than half the plant remains healthy but gardeners will need to be patient and ensure they carefully prune their plant.
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