Rose Bush Pruning
Have I left it too late to prune my rose bush ?
I have a lovely old red rose with a wonderful perfume growing in my south facing garden. There is already a lot of new growth on it so should I leave it alone now or be brave and cut it right down ?
Roses are very forgiving.I have 23 Rose Bushes and I start trimming them in February, but, since I was injured, permanenetly, it can take till May to get the last one trimmed. I wouldn’t cut it “right down”, but get the old growth off, and cut branches that are growing towards the middle to keep air circulating, this helps ward off disease. If larger branches need to come off, cut at an angle so cut edge isn’t exposed to rain. I mix house paint and fungicide, and use it like a bandage on the larger cuts. Many new type roses are more resistant to disease, still keep pruners sharp and clean with bleach water so disease isn’t spread. You can always wait to trim after the first bloom; trim not prune. I hope this helps and your roses are beautiful for many years.
Rose Bush Pruning
Rose Bush Tips
I have been growing roses ever since I moved into my house, clearing the overgrown garden I found wild ones and that was it, I was hooked. They’d survived for years competing with weeds and everything else and still looked healthy and beautiful. I’ve listed my most effective rose bush tips below for you to use.
Fragrance
You can’t help being attracted to the visual aspect of a rose first and that’s understandable because if you’re looking for one, they tend to be accompanied by many others. However, when in your garden they won’t have so much competition so consider fragrance as well, this will provide that little bit extra when you walk around your garden
Sunshine
Sometimes the obvious can get overlooked so make sure your rose gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. I have notice that they can handle a whole lot more though so don’t be afraid to plant a rose where there’s more that that.
Competiton
Spread a protective ring of bark chippings under your rose, this will not only help drainage but will deter weeds from taking hold.
Color Combinations
Obviously this is personal preference but I have had more aesthetically pleasing results when I’ve planted complimentary colors together as compared to clashing ones. Use a color wheel if you need extra reassurance
Air Circulation
This is an absolute necessity that’s commonly overlooked; try to determine the overall size upon maturity. Once you know this prune your rose to provide an open center to the plant and also make sure it’s not jammed right up a gain a damp wall.
Soil Condition
It may not be necessary to use fertilizer or compost at all; your soil may well be rich enough to give your rose just what it needs. Also you can make your plant reliant on any extra nutrients you give it. Use a soil testing kit if you’re not sure, they’re simple and easy to use and widely available. The ideal ph balance is between 5.5 and 6.6.
Pruning
This is where the real skill comes into play so you will need to do a lot, so treat yourself to some good quality tools the cheap ones never last. An absolutely fabulous tip is to take a visit to your local engineering college; they’re always looking for new ideas to expand their students’ talents. They’re usually better quality than money can buy, they’re made to measure and I drop off home grown vegetables for that ultimate symbiotic relationship!
Dry Spells
Firstly don’t be afraid of them, if you’ve watered correctly your rose will have grown deep roots and will be able to cope for days without water. However if you do need to water them yourself do so in the early morning as they will need to dry out. Watering late at night can cause damp problems.
About the Author
I’m Mary Longbridge and I’ve been caring for all kinds of roses for longer than my vanity will allow me to admit. To learn more very effective rose bush tips and more; visit http://www.rosestogrow.com. I am a contributing writer and on the website I will be happy to share my knowledge with you
Is there a certain way to pruning rose bushes?
I normally just cut them down any ole way. They seem to grow back like a weed. What would be the proper way to prune them?
Count from the bud down until you find the first set of 5 leaves. Prune right above this point and the roses will continue to flourish.
Gardening Help : How to Prune a Rose Bush