Pruning the Many Roses in My Flower Garden
One of the many tasks we complete this time of year is the pruning of my rose bushes. Pruning is about more than just looks; proper pruning improves the health of the plants, prevents disease, and encourages better flowering.
There are different pruning strategies for different times of the year, but overall the goals are the same - to control its shape, to keep the bush fresh and open, and to allow for better air circulation through the center of the plant. I have grown roses for more than 30-years. Many of the rose varieties I've purchased are highly prized for their petal formations and fragrances, so proper maintenance is very important to keeping them healthy and productive.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Here are some of the roses blooming last June. Many of the rose cultivars growing at my Bedford, New York farm were transplanted from the gardens at Lily Pond, my former home in East Hampton. I also have various David Austin roses – all highly prized for their lovely petal formations and beautiful fragrances. A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae. There are more than a hundred species and thousands of cultivars.
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- Many of my roses grow along all four sides of my perennial flower cutting garden fence.
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- Some also climb and spill over the sides.
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- These roses look fuller every year – in part because of regular pruning. We prune all the roses and cut any superfluous branches or shoots for better flowering and good health.
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- Here is what they look like just before any of the pruning begins.
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- Brian starts on one side and works his way around over the course of a couple days. In general, pruning is done before the plant breaks dormancy. This will be early in the year in warm climates, and anytime between January and April in cold climates. Every few minutes, he stops to evaluate the work he has done and to make sure he hasn’t missed anything that needs more trimming.
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- Brian assesses each bush from the bottom and starts cutting out any of the “three Ds” – dead, damaged, or diseased branches.
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- Cutting away the dead wood first helps to see the shape of the plant without distraction.
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- Dead wood is typically brown in color, so they are very easy to identify.
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- Healthy wood is always greenish white.
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- Brian also looks for any thin or twiggy canes – in general, those that are less than the diameter of a pencil. Here, he cuts a cane that is curved and not growing properly.
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- Rose stems are often armed with sharp prickles – they aren’t thorns at all. Unlike a thorn, a prickle can be easily broken off the plant because it is really a feature of the outer layers rather than part of the wood, like a thorn.
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- This rose has different sized prickles along its stems – they vary according to variety. And, while most roses have prickles, there are actually some that don’t have any at all.
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- Here, Brian shows where the cut should be made – always just above a bud eye. The “bud eye” refers to the area on the stem where branching occurs.
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- It’s also important to deadheads any old, spent blooms or ones that did not bloom completely. This is done to encourage more blooms and improve the appearance and shape of the rose.
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- Brian looks for stems that cross or rub together. Removing these from the bottom ensures better growth – when parts of a plant are pruned off it uses its energy to produce new stems and leaves.
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- This is a rose hip or rosehip, also called rose haw and rose hep. It is the accessory fruit, the seed pod, of the various species of rose plant. It is typically red to orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species.
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- Rose hips remain on the plant after the rose blooms fade. Rose hips are actually edible and many birds enjoy them. They also make great jellies, sauces, syrups, soups and seasoning, and even fruit leather.
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- Here, Ryan opens a rose hip to reveal the seeds inside.
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- Meanwhile, Pasang works on the climbers along the fence. Climbers take some dedicated work, but the end result is always so satisfying.
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- Here one can see how pruning improves the shape of the bush. All of these roses are well shaped in height and width.
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- Pruning also provides more air circulation between the branches.
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- In the middle of the garden, I also have six of these tower trellises. My climbers love these supports and grow beautiful blooms every season.
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- Of course, all the cuttings are collected and taken to the pile for chipping.
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- I am so proud of how well we maintain all our roses here at the farm. The basics of rose pruning are not difficult to learn, and the process triggers new buds to push at the base so that new vigorous canes can form. I can’t wait to see them all in bloom again come spring. How do you care for your roses this time of year? Share your comments in the section below.
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