Sometime in mid-February, it is time to prune your roses! You might think this is too early but it's not. After pruning, it's time to start watering them abundantly so that they can get full growth in time to bloom profusely in May. Most types of roses should get cut back to where they're only about 18" - 2' above the ground.
I was once fortunate enough to live close by to a woman who was trained to prune roses by a Master Japanese Gardener. Each spring, she'd come over and supervise my pruning and I had beautiful roses those years and I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do.
I've neglected my roses here at this house badly. I have a lot of them - more than I've ever had and they line my front yard out by the street. I neglected them because they overwhelmed me by how neglected they'd already been for many years. They're more like a rose jungle rather than a rose garden. But I plan to do it this year - at least hope to do it. We'll see what the baby lets me get done whether she's still inside me or out.
There are a lot of good websites and tutorials on how to properly prune your roses to make them look like the beautiful rose bouquet they should resemble. Done right, there's hardly anything prettier when they bloom.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Almost Time to Prune Roses
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3 backward glances:
Thanks for the tip. Maybe my roses will be pretty this year.
I just started growing roses a couple years ago. I love them!
I did already prune them, though. I did it in December before any chance of freezing. I wonder if it was too early since I am in NC.
They will likely start blooming in March or April here, though.
So, do you prune any other time of the year?
Heidi - if you need tips, let me know!
Janel - you prune lightly at the end of the blooming season and of course dead head the rose hips. Otherwise, heavy pruning is done very early Spring. You may be a bit early but your blooming begins earlier than here too so you're probably fine.
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