Trimming Rose Bushes
How to trim a rose bush?
I live in southern PA and have two big rose bushes. One has a ton of green leaves on it and is out of control. It is in the way of the front door of our house, so I was wondering how to trim them down. I have heard that you cut everything off all the way to the bottom, but is it too soon for that? I just don’t want to kill it. Any help would be great! Thanks.
I live just a few hours from where you are. It’s OK to lightly prune back branches/canes that are out of control right now. For a hard prune I wait til right after Halloween. I prune my mounding rose back almost to the ground every couple of years. I leave maybe 12-18″ of stems.
Trimming Rose Bushes
Rose Gardening
The Roses are universally favorite plants. The bright vibrant hues give gardens a splash of color. You can smell the heady perfume of roses during summer as they fill the air. With so many different varieties to choose from rose gardening is a marvelous experience.
While it’s true that there many roses that you can choose from, the type is not important. What is important is that you plant them where you can reap the benefits later on. Roses are hardy plants. With so many gardeners breeding new hardy varieties, roses can now grow in any type of condition. Difficult soil and garden problems are no longer a barrier to well grown rose gardens.
The key to rose gardening lies in buying plants that are at least two years old, that have been field grown and are budded. If your young rose plants are pruned then the heavy stems need to be 1/4 inches in diameter at the top. On the other hand if the rose plant is not pruned, then there should be three or more heavy stems that are 18 inches in diameter.
You need to plant your roses in a sunny, well-drained spot. You should trim of all the bruised and broken stems off. In rose gardening roses needed to be eased into the ground. You first dig a hole 6 inches deeper than the rose roots need, then make the hole wide and big all around so that the roots will not grow crowded or bent.
The bottom of the hole should have small rocks or pebbles in it. This rock formation will aid in the drainage for the roses. After the stones have been placed, mix one tablespoon of fertilizer over the stones. Above this lay good fertile soil until the level is where you will plant your rose plant. In the mound of soil make a small hole and carefully plant your rose bush in there. You will need to make sure that the hole has room for the roots. Then cover the roots with soil, firming the soil every so often.
Rose gardening requires that you feed your roses at regular intervals to ensure healthy growth. The first feeding should therefore be given in early spring, before the roses bloom. The second feeding will come after the first heavy blossoming is finished. The third feeding occurs in late summer. If you are lucky there might be roses that will bloom until about November. If this is the case, then feed your plants a fourth time around
While all this care does help in rose gardening, chemical pesticides are needed to prevent sucking and chewing insects from damaging your roses. This pesticide also works to cut down on the fungus that likes to grow on roses.
Rose gardening is a lovely pleasant smelling hobby to do. If you take care of your plant during the initial days, then you will be rewarded with big, vibrant blossoms that are a joy to behold.
About the Author
We live in Maui and grow our own fresh organic food.
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How far do I trim back my Rose Bushes?
I’m living in a house for the first time, and there are about 6 rose bushes in the front yard. I’ve read that you need to trim them back for winter.
How far back am I supposed to trim them? Some are small, and some are much taller then I am, and very wide. And am I supposed to remove all the branches and leaves?
Also, I live in northern AZ, not to sure about my climate zone, but it doesn’t get much below 10 or 20 at the coldest. And it’s still in the 60′s now. Am I doing this too soon? Or should I do it now before it gets really cold?
Thanks a bunch.
It’s probably too early. Here in SoCal I don’t prune my roses back until February. Here’s a link to the Arizona Cooperative Extension. http://extension.arizona.edu/ Pick your county and you should be able to find a number or email address for your local master gardener program.
So…when you find out when to prune, take a look at this pdf file from a farm adviser that explains it all in very easy to understand format. http://ceinyo-mono.ucdavis.edu/newsletterfiles/Weekend_Farmer_Fact_Sheets3060.pdf
How to Trim Rose Bushes