Any pruning cut should be made just above an outward facing bud, this ensures the centre of the plant does not get over congested and a natural goblet shape is acquired. The cut should be just above the bud, and slanted away so that any rain water runs away form the bud.
Best practise pruning would be to pruning in autumn, which will give the plant time to conserve energy.
When you prune in autumn it also reduces root rock that can be caused with winter winds, this causes the plant to rock, which in turn creates a well affect at the base of the plant, which can then fill up with water and freeze during the winter.
Then in January and February, give the plants a light prune to tidy up.
Roses fall into one of the 5 classes: within each class there are many named groups of roses:
- Climbers & Ramblers: when supported with climb. Ramblers have long, pliable stems with small flowers and climbers stems are stiff and the flowers are large than that of the ramblers.
- Hybrid teas: Usually grown as bush or standard roses. They have flowers on long stems and shapely blooms with many petals. The blooms are born singular or with several side buds.
- Floribundas - Bedding roses. Their flowers are in clusters or tresses and they have several blooms open at one time.
- Shrub - neither a hybrid tea or floribunda. There are also now modern shrub roses.
- Miniature - Grown for edging, tubs, rockeries and as indoor plants. The leaves and flowers are small and the plants maximum height is 15 inches.
Pruning Tips for each class: Always prune to an outward facing bud. Ensure all roses are kept free of dead, disease, damaged, crossing or rubbing branches and spindly growth. Removing all old and unproductive wood that can cause congestion and hinder air movement and light.
- Climbers & Ramblers- Click here for more information.
- The Bush Roses: Floribundas & Hybrid Teas: Prune late summer:
For moderate pruning you need to cut back the older, stronger shoot to 4-6 buds, about 15cm from from the base, to the point where last year's growth began. Lightly prune last years growth and shorten back any the less vigorous shoots to 2-3 bud, about 10cm from the base. This will leave the plant with stems of varying lengths which ensures a long period of continuous flowering. Obviously you would not prune the standard bushes to ground level but back to the main stem. Occasionally some of the older stems can be hard pruned back to within a few inches from the base to encourage stronger growth from the base.
- Single flowering shrub roses, and Miniature roses: Prune late summer.
- Repeat flowering shrub roses: Prune late winter.
Rose sickness: (Attacks plants in the Roseaceae and pyracantha family: