Pruning Roses

The following advice does not apply to climbing roses. They are a whole ‘nother ball game as far as pruning goes, and I don’t have a clue about them.

1. When the forsythia start blooming, it is time to prune and fertilize your roses. (Forsythia is that beautiful bush with bright yellow flowers growing all over each stem). Forsythia is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring. If you live in the south or Southwest, you should probably do this about February. But for those in the north or cooler regions, April is about the right time.

2. When pruning your roses, don’t be afraid, you are helping them be their best. New growth produces more flowers. Use very sharp pruning shears, the kind you hold in your hand like scissors. You want to cut them down to 1/3 of their current height. Then take a good look at the bush and cut off any dead stems, stems that are thinner than a pencil, and stems that criss-cross each other. Imagine that you are trying to make a “vase” out of the stems that are left, leaving it open in the middle. This is to promote good air flow.

3. Now you are ready to fertilize. I prefer a granular systemic fertilizer that you only have to use about once a month. I use Bayer Advanced Care 2 in 1 Systemic. (Note from Soutenus - this is the original author's advice...anyone have and organic alternative?)

She says that the Bayer Advanced care 2 in 1 Systematic fertilizes and protects from insects that love to eat the rose buds and flowers and suck the life out of the stems.

Take a claw-type tool and loosen the dirt around the base of each rose bush. Follow the instructions on the bottle and apply the appropriate amount to the dirt at the base of the bush. Then take the claw-tool and mix it in the dirt. You don’t have to be too precise with this. Give your rose bushes a nice drink of water. Do this about once a month until the first hard frost.

4. Deadheading - The purpose for deadheading is to encourage the rose bush to produce more flowers. Once the rose starts to wilt, it’s time to remove it. You want to take take your pruners and look at the stem the fading rose is on. Cut it back just above the first group of leaves below the rose. If the stem where the rose was is thinner than a pencil, cut it farther down to a thicker area, but still above a group of leaves. The new growth will start at the group of leaves.

source: http://carolmehl.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/wfmw-caring-for-your-roses/