Pruning roses is a necessary step to be successful in growing healthy beautiful roses but many people find it intimidating. After learning some basics and practice you will become very comfortable and your roses will thrive because of it.

Why Should You Prune Your Roses?
It removes dead or damaged wood and encourages new growth and stronger more abundant blooms. Pruning allows you to shape your plant and provides better air circulation which helps in disease prevention.

Tools Needed
Bypass pruners, loppers (long handle pruner), pruning saw and gloves.

When to Prune
The best time to prune repeat blooming roses on Long Island such as Floribunda, Grandiflora, Knock Outs and Hybrid Teas is late March or early April while the plant is still semi dormant and when the buds are swelling and about to pop open. Old fashioned roses and climbers that bloom once per year should be pruned right after blooming. Do not prune these in early spring because they flower off of last year’s growth.

Basic Tips

-Always use clean sharp tools. Disinfect them with rubbing alcohol before you start.
-Make your cuts on a 45 degree angle ¼” just above an outward facing bud (where a new branch is coming out of the stem).
-When you make your cuts, make sure the center of the stem, which is also called the pith, is a creamy white. If the pith is brown or black keep moving down the stem until you see white.
-Always prune the dead canes off first and try to do this as close to the bottom of the bush as possible.
-Older stems that have a hardwood outer stem should be the next thing you may want to prune. Roses bloom better off of the new growth that has green stems.
-Remove any leaves left over from last year’s growth as they may contain disease like black spot or powdery mildew.
-After you are done pruning spray the plants with Bonide Horticultural Oil Spray to kill any overwintering insects.
-There is no set rules on how much you should prune off but usually 1/3 to 1/2 of the shrub is recommended. Cutting back more of a heavily overgrown shrub is not against the rules either. Use your best judgment. You know I trust you.

After you prune your rose, incorporate Bumper Crop Compost into the soil which has mycorrhizae root builder. Choose your favorite mulch and spread this around the base of your roses to help retain moisture and prevent weeds. Mulch also helps keep the soil cool in the heat of summer. Fertilize with Espoma Rose Tone organic fertilizer by late April then follow up once per month thru the growing season.

Don’t worry about messing up your roses if you aren’t experienced with pruning.  Roses are very forgiving and it is very hard to do permanent damage. Get out there and practice.

Espoma Rose-tone® 4-3-2

For All Types of Roses

All Natural Plant Food with Bio-tone® Microbes

Rose-tone is available in 4, 8 and 18 lb. bags;

1 pound equals approx. 3 cupfuls

Rose-tone is a premium rose food designed to supply the necessary nutrients for growing prize winning roses. The organics in Rose-tone breakdown gradually providing a safe, long lasting food reservoir activated throughout the growing season. Rose-tone”s all natural formula now contains Bio-tone®, our proprietary blend of beneficial microbes. Bio-tone biologically enhances our natural plant food to ensure superior plant growth.