How To Prune Roses

 Well, we are at that time of year again, that time where we pull on our thick gloves, sharpen our secateurs and prune those roses!

Pruning is an essential for roses, it is the time of year they get rid of all those dead bits, open up and let some air through, and prepare for the springs flush of beauty.

When you prune depends on where you're located, in Southwest Oz we generally prune end of July into the beginning of August as it's our coldest point and when our roses shut down a little, in warmer parts however you are probably more June to July.

How do we prune our roses?
Simple.

Step one; Remove any dead wood, we don't want this lingering around, it will serve no purpose and produce nothing going forward.

Step two; Remove any suckers. A sucker is essentially your rootstock, as roses are grafted, growing, if left this can easily and quickly overtake your stunning rose you've been putting so much effort into.

Step three: Remove any stems that are facing in or rubbing against each other, we need to create airflow and ensure we minimise disease.

Step four; Pruning your main stems. Generally speaking, you can cut each stem/'branch' back by about a third. Ensure you cut just above a bud, and always on a 45-degree angle if you can, this minimizes disease and infection.

Step five; Clean up! Gather all those pesky dead or potentially infected leaves, bag and bin or alternatively burn them, don't compost or leave as you may transmit nasties!

HINT: Try cleaning your secateurs between pruning to minimize transmitting disease, bacteria and viruses!

You can use these simple steps for most rose varieties, with standard roses, you di want to try keep a nice even 'ball-like' shape.

Remember to dead head your roses regularly, this will help to get more of those beautiful blooms you're working so hard to see.