Monday, May 11, 2009

How do I prune my shrub roses?

Do I only need to prune the dead stuff off? Or do I need to be cutting them back to keep them growing? HOW do I do that? This is my first experience growing anything, so please be specific. Also, If I cut roses to have in my house, will they grow back? They are "knockout roses" if that helps any.

How do I prune my shrub roses?
I prune shrub roses and wild roses similarly. However, shrub roses get pruned in the spring, and my wild roses I prune in late June or early July, just after they finish flowering. You do not have to start this pruning, except for removing dead wood and keeping the shape aesthetic, until the 3rd or 4th season the plant is in your garden.





First, remove any dead branches, either down to a living section or down to the ground if none of the branch is living.





Second, remove any "water sprouts". These are branches going Straight Up from an arching branch. They don't add to the rose's appearance.





Third, look at your rose. If it is getting too tall, prune it down to a good height all over. This particularly applies to my wild roses, as they would like to get very tall and then use the nearby trees as support, which is not my plan for them.





Now, look at your rose again. Determine which are the oldest canes. Prune these out, removing about 1/3 of the canes. This keeps your rose from becoming an ungainly thicket of canes, and it removes the older ones which will very likely flower poorly.





Now you have 2/3 of your rose left. Take another look at the structure and prune out any branches that are unaesthetic. That means, branches that just go the wrong way. Shape the bush so it's somewhat symmetrical, looking at it from many angles. Remove branches that will rub on other branches.





You should be left with an open-structured rose with new wood replacing the older canes and enough mature canes to ensure good blooming. Shrub roses bloom on mature canes that are not old and "woody" (as in, looking like tree bark).





If you do this every year, every 3 years you basically have a totally renewed rose.
Reply:Cut and trim down to the healthiest set of five leaves. Trim back any branches that are growing toward the center all the way down to the stalk. Stand back and look at your shape. Roses are very hearty and like to be watered not only at the base but through the foilage as well. Once every couple of years you can cut them practically to the ground .
Reply:Prune your roses to increase blooming and decrease disease and pest problems. Do most of your pruning in early spring just before new growth begins, but remove spent flowers and dead canes whenever they occur. The goal is to keep the center of the shrub free of twiggy, weak growth.





Collect Your Equipment.





* Pruning thorny rose shrubs requires sturdy, thorn-proof gloves and safety glasses to protect your eyes. Look for elbow-length gloves at garden centers.


* You also need a pair of sharp hand pruners for canes up to 1/2 inch in diameter.


* Use long-handled loppers or a small pruning saw to cut larger stems and to reach into the center of dense shrubs.





Inspect Your Rose Plant.





* First, identify all dead and damaged canes.


* Next, locate long thin canes and canes that grow from below the graft union, if the plant is grafted.


* Lastly, look for canes that rub against or crowd each other, especially if they're growing through the center of the bush.





Determine Where to Cut.





* Prune canes back to fat, pink buds that face the outside of the shrub.


* Cut the spindly canes back by half their length or to 2 to 3 feet long.


* Cut or break off canes completely that grow from below the graft union.


* Remove diseased canes, and those that rub or crowd, back to healthy, outward-facing buds.


* If you see brown tissue in the center of a cane when you cut it, prune a little farther back until the tissue is clear and healthy.





Make the Right Pruning Cut.





* Make your cut about 1/4 inch above a healthy bud and at a 45-degree angle.


* The bud and the high point of the cut should be on the same side of the cane so that water will drain away from the bud.


* To prevent the spread of disease, clean your pruning tools between shrubs with a mix of one part bleach and nine parts water.


* Remove spent flowers.


* To encourage repeat flowering, use a hand pruner or scissors to remove flowers as soon as they finish blooming.


* Cut each flower stem back to a leaf with 5 to 7 leaflets and a healthy bud.





Tools and Materials





* Hand pruner


* Heavy, thorn-proof gloves


* Loppers


* Bleach and water





Tips





* In cold-climate areas, wait to prune until the buds just begin to swell in spring. It's easy at this time to tell the difference between healthy canes and buds and those that didn't make it through the winter.


* Fertilize roses after spring pruning to encourage strong new growth.

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