There is much written about why, when and how best to prune your roses.
Why prune your roses
Pruning encourages new growth on a rose bush which leads to increasing the number of flowers you will get on the bush and also helps control disease by the removal of unwanted leaves in the centre of the bush that could create an opportunity for black-spot to grow and spread. It is necessary to do the pruning to keep your rose bushes looking healthy, vibrant and covered with flowers in the spring and summer.
When to prune your roses
Roses should be heavily pruned in the winter July/August or in some areas after the frosts so the new growth is not damaged... however, I consider myself (to a certain extent) to be pruning each time a flower is cut for a vase or cut for removal from the bush once the flower is aging and no longer looks attractive in the garden. So even though the heavy pruning goes on before spring it does to some degree continue through the flowering period.
There are some roses that are late flowering and should not be pruned until they have finished flowering, they include Old fashioned roses, Rambler roses, Climbing roses and Banksia roses.
How to prune your roses
Tools to use
Be sure to wear good thick gloves to avoid being spiked by the rose bushes, use clean sharp secateurs and a clean sharp saw for thicker stems I do not use my rose secateurs on any other plant, only on the roses and keep them stored in a clean cover when they are not in use. The tools you use should be sterilised with disinfectant before you start and after each bush is cut before moving on to the next bush to avoid transferring disease from one plant to another. When you are pruning it is a good idea to have a large container or throw sheet to put all the off cuts into, so as not to let them get into the ground, they could spread disease to your healthy plants.
How much to cut
Cut about one third of each stem, remove any leaves and old flowers and new growth at the bottom of the plant, cut off any old dead and dying wood to the bottom of the plant, it will be easy to recognise the old wood - it will be brown/grey in colour. The branches that are shaped outwards should be kept for next years growth and you should remove center branches to encourage the plant to have open central room for air to circulate. Or as my sister says ' shape it like a wine glass'.
After the pruning treat the rose bush and ground around it
Some experts advise to use Lime sulphur to spray the plant and the ground around the plant to keep it healthy and free from pests and disease. I have not used lime sulphur myself at this stage as my roses are in pots. I am not sure that I will use lime sulphur when the plants are in the ground, I am reluctant to use the lime sulphur as it will burn young growth on the bush so should only be done immediately after the pruning takes place before the new growth begins. This is for you to consider whether you want to use it or not.
After the pruning remove all the off-cuts
As you were pruning you should have been placing all of the off-cuts into a bin or on a throw sheet, gather up any leaves and bits and pieces that have fallen on the ground, dispose of all of the debris. Do not use any of the off-cuts in mulching and composting - avoid disease going back into the ground.
Sterilise and store your tools
Be sure to sterilise and store your tools, I do find it handy to keep the rose secateurs in the vicinity of the rose garden for convenience.
Fertilise around your rose bushes
Place a 5 cm.-10 cm. layer of mulch around the rose bushes and water it in thoroughly. I like to use organic pellets and sugar cane mulch on mine or Seasol liquid and sugar cane mulch but there are many fertilisers to choose from.
Why prune your roses
Pruning encourages new growth on a rose bush which leads to increasing the number of flowers you will get on the bush and also helps control disease by the removal of unwanted leaves in the centre of the bush that could create an opportunity for black-spot to grow and spread. It is necessary to do the pruning to keep your rose bushes looking healthy, vibrant and covered with flowers in the spring and summer.
When to prune your roses
Roses should be heavily pruned in the winter July/August or in some areas after the frosts so the new growth is not damaged... however, I consider myself (to a certain extent) to be pruning each time a flower is cut for a vase or cut for removal from the bush once the flower is aging and no longer looks attractive in the garden. So even though the heavy pruning goes on before spring it does to some degree continue through the flowering period.
There are some roses that are late flowering and should not be pruned until they have finished flowering, they include Old fashioned roses, Rambler roses, Climbing roses and Banksia roses.
How to prune your roses
Tools to use
Be sure to wear good thick gloves to avoid being spiked by the rose bushes, use clean sharp secateurs and a clean sharp saw for thicker stems I do not use my rose secateurs on any other plant, only on the roses and keep them stored in a clean cover when they are not in use. The tools you use should be sterilised with disinfectant before you start and after each bush is cut before moving on to the next bush to avoid transferring disease from one plant to another. When you are pruning it is a good idea to have a large container or throw sheet to put all the off cuts into, so as not to let them get into the ground, they could spread disease to your healthy plants.
How much to cut
Cut about one third of each stem, remove any leaves and old flowers and new growth at the bottom of the plant, cut off any old dead and dying wood to the bottom of the plant, it will be easy to recognise the old wood - it will be brown/grey in colour. The branches that are shaped outwards should be kept for next years growth and you should remove center branches to encourage the plant to have open central room for air to circulate. Or as my sister says ' shape it like a wine glass'.
After the pruning treat the rose bush and ground around it
Some experts advise to use Lime sulphur to spray the plant and the ground around the plant to keep it healthy and free from pests and disease. I have not used lime sulphur myself at this stage as my roses are in pots. I am not sure that I will use lime sulphur when the plants are in the ground, I am reluctant to use the lime sulphur as it will burn young growth on the bush so should only be done immediately after the pruning takes place before the new growth begins. This is for you to consider whether you want to use it or not.
After the pruning remove all the off-cuts
As you were pruning you should have been placing all of the off-cuts into a bin or on a throw sheet, gather up any leaves and bits and pieces that have fallen on the ground, dispose of all of the debris. Do not use any of the off-cuts in mulching and composting - avoid disease going back into the ground.
Sterilise and store your tools
Be sure to sterilise and store your tools, I do find it handy to keep the rose secateurs in the vicinity of the rose garden for convenience.
Fertilise around your rose bushes
Place a 5 cm.-10 cm. layer of mulch around the rose bushes and water it in thoroughly. I like to use organic pellets and sugar cane mulch on mine or Seasol liquid and sugar cane mulch but there are many fertilisers to choose from.
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