Pruning roses is essential to maintain an aesthetic appearance but also to encourage opulent flowering and its eventual return. Gestures must be precise, but there is nothing very complicated about the program!
Pruning roses in a nutshell
- Prune roses from February to April, except during the frost period. Non-remontant climbing roses are pruned after flowering in spring.
- Always use disinfected secateurs between each bush.
- Prune bush roses to 3 or 5 eyes from the grafting point.
- Keep 6 branches on climbing roses and prune the other branches to 2 or 6 eyes depending on the vigor and variety.
- Remove wilted flowers.
How to prune roses on a case-by-case basis?
There are several types of roses. Bush roses are the most common and are often grown in beds. Climbing roses offer opulent blooms, but in order to bloom well, they need precise pruning techniques which are not the same for remontant roses (which bloom a second time) as for non-remontant ones.
The case of ground cover roses is a bit special because they will only be pruned every 3 or 4 years, mainly to remove the dead wood. This is also the case for many old roses, which only need to be pruned to clean up from time to time.
Pruning on miniature roses and stem roses, will be the same as that applied to bush roses.
Equipment needed:
Pruning shears or loppers depending on the size of the branches ;
Thick gloves;
How to prune bush, miniature or stem roses?
- Disinfect the blades of the pruning shears with methylated spirits before using them for pruning.
- Wear heavy gloves to protect yourself from thorns.
- Start by removing all dead branches at their base and those that cross in the center of the plant to allow maximum air and light to enter.
- Keep 4 to 7 main branches that you will prune above the 3rd or 5th bud (eye) starting from the grafting point (swollen part at the base of the plant). Prune to 3 eyes for roses that are not very vigorous and to 5 for those that are in good shape.
- The pruning should be done at an angle above an eye so that the water runs off the part of the stem opposite the bud.
How to prune climbing roses?
Follow the same procedure as above from step 1 to 3.
Keep 6 main branches as a framework.
Prune the side branches to 6 eyes.
After the first flowering remove the spent flowers by cutting off the petiole under the first leaf.
How to prune non-remontant climbing roses?
These roses are pruned in the spring after flowering.
Remove the dead wood.
Keep 6 to 7 carpenter branches.
Prune all lateral stems to two eyes.
