Pruning Roses

Pruning roses can be a complicated business and many books have been written about it. This simple guide is a quick introduction to the concept.

The aim when pruning roses is to remove dead, diseased, crossed and old shoots in order to open up the plant to light and air and to encourage the production of healthy flowering shoots. Regular deadheading will encourage healthy blooms and long, whippy shoots should be cut back by about one third in autumn to reduce windrock.

In most areas, the main pruning should be done in late winter or early spring, but always wait until the last frosts so that plants do not suffer dieback.

General advice

• Cuts should be no more than 5mm above a bud and should slope away from it, so that water does not run into the bud and cause it to rot
• The cut should be to an outward-facing bud to encourage an open-centred shape
• If a dormant bud is not visible the cut should be made at an appropriate height
• Keep secateurs sharp to ensure a clean cut. For larger stems, use loppers or a pruning saw
• Cut out dead and diseased stems and spindly and crossing stems
• Aim for well-spaced stems that allow free air flow
• Cut out poorly flowering old wood on established roses and saw away old stubs that have failed to produce new shoots
• Prune all newly planted roses, apart from climbers, hard to encourage vigorous shoots
• Trace suckers back to their roots and pull them away

　Climbers

A climbing rose will repeat-flower almost all summer and well into autumn. Climbers are routinely pruned in late autumn or in winter, after the flowers have faded. They can be tidied up at any time between late autumn and winter, when it is easier to see the frame of the rose. First, remove dead, diseased and dying branches. Then tie in any new shoots and remove any aged branches from the base if the plant is heavily congested in order to promote new growth. Prune any flowered side shoots back to leave two or three leaf buds.

Ramblers

A rambling rose will flower only once, usually in June. After flowering, ramblers should be pruned by removing at least one third of the flower bearing shoots. Ramblers are usually pruned in late summer, after their display of flowers and hips. Cut back any side branches that have flowered to leave two or three leaf buds. If pruning has not occurred for some time then remove a few of the old woody branches by cutting from the base. This will encourage new shoots to grow.

Hybrids

Hybrid tea roses, (also called large-flowered roses), usually have only one flower per stem and tend to flower in three flushes from summer to late autumn. They can be pruned during late winter when growth is just resuming, usually in mid-February in the south, but in northern and colder areas wait until March. Cut back the strongest remaining shoots to four to six buds approximately 10-15cm from the base, to the point where last year's growth began. Less vigorous shoots can be cut back to two to four buds about 5-10cm from the base.

Floribunda Roses

Floribundas (also called cluster-flowered roses) have many flowers per stem and tend to repeat-flower continuously from summer to late autumn. The strongest remaining shoots should be pruned to within 25-30cm (10-12in) of soil level. Less vigorous shoots can be cut back more severely. Some older stems may require pruning hard back to a few inches from soil level to promote stronger growth from the base.

Shrub Roses

Shrub roses are a large and diverse group of roses. They are usually larger than modern bush roses and have thornier stems, often with scented flowers. They may repeat flower or flower only once in summer. Roses can be pruned during late winter when growth is just resuming, usually mid-February in the south, but in northern and colder areas wait until March. Deadheading is carried out in summer after flowering. Unlike modern bush roses, shrub roses generally flower on older wood and should be allowed to develop naturally, maintained by light but regular pruning and with a balance of older wood and young, vigorous growth. Bear in mind that a large number of old garden roses have an arching habit and need adequate space; shortening stems simply to restrict spread spoils their graceful shape.

Shrub roses that have a single flush of flowers

Prune in late summer once flowering is completed. The main requirement is to keep the plants free of dead, diseased and damaged wood, crossing or rubbing branches, or spindly growth. Avoid excessive build-up of older, unproductive wood that is causing the centre to become crowded, removing one or two older branches from the centre if necessary. If they become leggy and bare at the base, remove one or two stems back to near ground level, which will usually encourage new growth from the base.

Repeat-flowering shrub roses

It is important to maintain a balanced framework by reducing strong new growth in late winter by up to one-third. The previous season's growth on"English" roses can be pruned back by 30-50% of their length. Sideshoots can be cut back to two or three buds. Mature plants require a light pruning each winter by cutting some of the older main stems back to the base. This encourages strong new shoots from the base that will flower the following summer. Faded blooms can be deadheaded to encourage new flowers.

Miniature or Patio Roses

These do not require a great deal of pruning. Plants can be kept neat by cutting back the stems by about one third in late winter to early spring. Patio and Polyantha roses are compact bushes with tight clusters of small flowers. These can be pruned in the same way as full-sized floribundas, but obviously on a smaller scale. However, do not cut back newly planted dwarf roses too severely. These roses often produce a mass of twiggy growth, which should be removed. The main stems should then be reduced by about one-third to a healthy bud or lateral. Any over-vigorous shoots that spoil the plant's shape should be pruned out.

Miniature Roses are very dwarf roses, often no more than 25cm (10in) tall. Pruning is usually limited to the shortening back of any weak growths, removal of dead or twiggy growth, and occasional pruning back of older growths to near soil level to encourage vigourous shoots from the base.

　Ground Cover Roses

Most groundcover roses, whether shrubby or rambler types, require only light pruning in spring. Many flower just once in summer and will bloom for years with little formal pruning. Groundcover roses tend to flower profusely, which does make deadheading quite a job. But, it is beneficial to the plant if you can deadhead after flowering.

Shrub-type groundcover roses are small shrubs that require little or no routine pruning. However, if they do get out of hand wayward shoots can be hard pruned back by about one-third and sideshoots can be reduced to two or three buds.

Spreading rambler groundcover roses can produce long stems of up to 3m in length. The sideshoots can be reduced after flowering in summer to prevent the plant becoming too large.

Aftercare

Once pruning has been completed, mulch plants generously, applying a thick layer of well-rotted manure or bark chippings. And then, enjoy!