During a recent meeting, members of the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society were treated to an instructive lesson on pruning roses by John Smith, one of our resident Consulting Rosarians, before heading outside to give the roses in our test garden a rejuvenating prune.
John brought in examples of rose canes that demonstrated some of the “problems” we would be looking for and pruning out to maintain a healthy rose. Problems included: gall, cane borer, diseased canes, dead canes, damaged canes and more.
Tips for Pruning
PREPARATION:
- Make sure pruning tools are sharp
- Sterilize tools with rubbing alcohol before use
- Clean tools with alcohol whenever used on diseased roses before moving to next one
WHAT TO ELIMINATE:
- Dead canes
- Diseased canes
- Dying canes
- Canes with rubbing damage
- Canes with borers
HOW TO PRUNE:
- Take out crossing/rubbing canes
- Remove older/nonproductive canes
- For hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras: maintain a bowl shape
- Prune at outward facing bud
FINAL STEPS:
- Seal cuts with plain white glue (never wood glue) or cheese wax to prevent borers
- Clean bud union to promote basal breaks
- If you use fungicides, apply lime sulfur or equivalent to drench surrounding soil and spray bush to prevent blackspot and other diseases
