Rose pruning seems to have come a bit earlier than usual this year with our roses thinking that it is already the end of July. Fret not, as you can still prune your roses even if it is a bit early. Left unpruned, roses eventually carry out their own pruning by not nourishing the thinner inside growth, which slowly dries out completely and dies. We prune roses to maintain the shape of the bush, to keep the main branches to a manageable height and to clean the plant up a bit. Furthermore, pruning encourages strong new growth and reduces the number of flowering stems. This results in an increase in flower size.
Ensure that your equipment is sharp, clean and well-oiled in order to save time and prevent damage to your roses. Your pruning equipment checklist should include the following:
- Secateurs
- Long handled loppers
- Gloves
- Prune sealant
- Mineral oil
- Mulch
- Organic fertilizer
Step2: Pruning your roses
- Start by cutting out the three D’s (Dead, diseased and dying wood).
- Then cut the remaining stems back to knee height.
- ext, remove any branches that cross each other as well as any twiggy growth.
- Prune the head of standard (lollipop) roses back by about a third.
- The more you prune back the more vigorous the regrowth will be.
The rose master Ludwig Taschner shows us how to prune.
Step 3: Seal
- Seal the pruning wounds by applying a rose prune sealant over the wound.
Step 4: Spray
- Spray pruned rose stems with a mineral-based product or Ludwig’s insect spray. This will kill off any scale bugs that the cold weather didn’t catch.
Step 5: Feed
- Feed your roses by applying an organic fertiliser around the base of the plant.
- Using an organic fertiliser will ensure that there is no chance of burning your roses whilst they have no flowers.
Step 6: Mulching
- Mulch the soil surface around your rose or think of using a living mulch to cover the surface.
- If you want to know more about mulch, have a look here.
And that’s rose pruning made simple and easy. Start pruning now and your roses will reward you throughout the whole summer.