How and when do I cut my rose bush for the winter?
Why Prune Roses
Encourage new growth and bloom
Remove dead wood
Improve air circulation
Shape the plant
Tools You'll Need
By-pass Pruners
Long-handled Loppers
Thick Gloves (preferably long ones)
Rose Pruning Basics
Use clean, sharp tools
Look at the overall plant, but begin pruning from the base of the plant.
Prune to open the center of the plant to light and air circulation
Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle, about 1/4 inch above a bud that is facing toward the outside of the plant.
Make sure it is a clean cut (not ragged)
Remove all broken, dead, dying or diseased wood (Any branches that look dry, shriveled or black. Cut until the inside of the cane is white.)
Remove any weak or twiggy branches thinner than a pencil
If cane borers are a problem in your area, seal the cut with a white glue, such as Elmer?s.
Remove ****** growth below the graft.
Remove any remaining foliage
When to Prune Roses
Timing is determined by the class of the rose plant and the zone in which it is growing. Most rose pruning is done in the spring, with the blooming of the forsythia as a signal to get moving. If you don't have forsythia, watch for when the leaf buds begin to swell on your rose plants, meaning the bumps on the canes get larger and reddish in color.
Hybrid tea roses are the most particular about pruning. If you don't know what type of rose you have, watch the plant for a season. If it blooms on the new growth it sends out that growing season, prune while dormant or just about to break dormancy, as stated above. If it blooms early, on last year's canes, don't prune until after flowering.
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