Summer is finally upon us and the flowers in the garden are coming into full bloom. A popular flower among gardeners, new or experienced, are roses and by understanding the basics of pruning roses any gardener can soon grow roses to be proud of.
Pruning is something that intimidates some gardeners but there are some simple tips to follow which will help you to become used to pruning so you can quickly benefit from the results.
You will need some good quality gardening gloves and some bypass shears which means the blades overlap instead of meet meaning they give a clean cut.
In the summer months you should look to dead head your roses to promote new growth new blooms and to keep the bushes looking fresh and pretty. In Autumn you can begin to trim back long stems and prevent them from becoming too top heavy which could result in wind damage. Also, in Autumn you should remove diseased foliage, remember to keep your tools clean so as not to cross infect another plant. Major pruning can be carried out in Spring when the weather starts to get warmer.
The following tips will help you to prune your roses when you can see that they are ready:
- Remove any leaves that remain from summer so you can clearly assess the stems.
- Any brown wood is dead and will need to be cut back to the base.
- Remove any branches which are rubbing together in the centre of the plant.
- Any weak stems can be removed, look for ones that are thinner than the rest.
- Begin pruning the remaining stems. Cut at a 45-degree angle above the bud eye.
- Seal the pruned cuts with a pruning sealer to protect them from rot.
- Remove all debris from around the plant to prevent the spread of any disease or pests.
- Ensure you roses are adequately nourished by feeding them with specialist fertiliser.
You can prune roses to your desired height but keep the stems consistent. Placement in your garden should determine what height to keep them at, so if they are at the rear of the borders, they can be left taller but if they sit at the front then keep them lower so as not to block valuable sunlight from other plants.
The same rules mainly apply for pruning climbing roses. The stems on climbing roses grow directly from the base and give the plant height with lateral stems producing the flowers, so by pruning these you will encourage more blooms. To keep the rose in shape you can prune the lateral canes as and when they need it.
Roses are wonderful plants to grow and are fairly hardy and overall maintenance free. With so many varieties, colours and their iconic soft scent it is easy to see why they are so popular. Watching the garden come to life with classic rose flowers is a sight to behold and they are popular with the bees too!