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How do i prune roses


Guide to Fertilizing Roses: When & How to Fertilize

Learn how fertilizer can help you get the most out of your roses By Janet Loughrey, Garden Writer & Photographer

Photo by: VH-studio / Shutterstock

To perform their best, roses need a continuous source of nutrients throughout the growing season. Healthy roses not only bloom better, they are better able to withstand insect and disease problems.

There are many different kinds of fertilizers, so it can be confusing to know how and when to fertilize your roses. Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of your roses.

NUTRIENTS THAT ROSES NEED

The primary nutrients (macronutrients) that all plants need are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).

Nitrogen encourages healthy, vigorous leaf growth. Since a rose’s ability to make flowers resides in its leaves, healthy foliage results in more flowers. Too much nitrogen will result in too much foliage and fewer blooms, while not enough nitrogen results in yellow leaves, stunted growth and smaller blooms.

Phosphorus promotes healthy root development and abundant flower production. A shortage of phosphorous can result in leaf drop, weak flower stems, and buds that won’t open.

Potassium, also referred to as potash, helps roses recover when stressed by insect and disease damage, or by extreme weather conditions. Lack of potassium can result in yellow leaf margins, weak flower stems and poorly developed buds.

Other nutrients: In order to thrive, roses also need micronutrients including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc.

HOW AND WHEN TO FERTILIZE ROSES

FOR NEWLY PLANTED ROSES:

  1. Amend the planting hole with rich organic matter.
  2. Work in a slow-release fertilizer according to package instructions along with a handful of bone meal for healthy root development.
  3. Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Epsom salts around the base of the plant to promote foliar and cane development.

Continue to fertilize every 3 to 4 weeks with a mild fertilizer such as fish emulsion. If a new plant dries out at all, full-strength fertilizers can cause leaf margins and root tips to burn.

FOR ESTABLISHED ROSES:

Early to mid-spring: Begin fertilizing when new leaves emerge. Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer or top dress with alfalfa meal (5-1-2) for the first application to jump-start leaf development, along with epsom salts to encourage new cane development and lusher growth. Add a slow-release fertilizer when shoots are 4 to 5 inches long.

Throughout the season: Continue to feed every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season depending on the type of fertilizer used.

Late summer to early fall: Apply a slow-release fertilizer with low nitrogen content such as bone meal to promote root growth and next year’s blooms. Stop fertilizing 6 to 8 weeks before your average first frost date to prevent new growth from being damaged by frost.

FOR CONTAINER ROSES:

Because nutrients leach out more quickly due to more frequent watering, container roses may need fertilizing more often than those planted in the ground. (See more on how to grow roses in containers.)

More Ways to Keep Your Roses Healthy

WHAT IS THE BEST FERTILIZER FOR ROSES?

Organic fertilizers, which are derived from plant or animal matter, are better for the environment. These have different nutritional advantages and can be used alone or in combination as part of your rose-feeding regimen. Some also improve soil texture and support beneficial microbes.

Inorganic fertilizers (synthetic, chemical, or man-made) are ready-to-use and convenient, more concentrated and often less expensive than organic. However, these products don’t improve soil and have no positive residual effect. Some also contain insecticides and should be avoided all together, as they can harm wildlife.

ORGANIC ROSE FERTILIZERS:

There are many pre-packaged organic fertilizers especially formulated for roses that take the guesswork out of fertilizing. While all have a balanced blend of nutrients, some also contain essential trace minerals and beneficial microbes. Here are a few suggestions:

OTHER ORGANIC AMENDMENTS

"Organics make for the most beautiful roses and gardens," says Denise Kelly of Variegata Studios in Santa Rosa, CA. "But there can be a downside in that some products attract wildlife and pets. Bone meal and alfalfa pellets are especially attractive to dogs and raccoons, so I use alfalfa meal instead, which waters in more easily."

Oso Easy Double Red™.
Photo: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®.

OVERWHELMED BY FERTILIZER CHOICES AND SCHEDULES?

If sticking to a regular fertilizer schedule seems impractical, you can still grow beautiful roses by choosing low-maintenance varieties that need little or no fertilizing. Landscape roses are a simple way to add lots of color to your garden. Unlike hybrid teas, these resilient plants don’t require extensive fertilizing or other care.

Fertilizing landscape roses is easy: simply apply a controlled release fertilizer in early spring. That’s it! No need to overwork yourself with these easy-care varieties.

The Oso Easy® series is a great choice if you don’t want to deal with remembering to keep a fertilizing schedule, or deal with pruning or constant deadheading. Plus, they’re also highly disease resistant—which means no spraying either!

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

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Rose Care: A Beginner's Guide to Growing Roses
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How to Treat Black Spot on Roses

Learn how to prevent, manage, and treat black spot disease By Anne Balogh

Photo by Manfred Ruckszio / Shutterstock.com

If rose growers had a public enemy number one, it would surely be black spot—a menacing fungal disease that poses a threat to roses. Once black spot disease begins attacking your roses, it can be very difficult to control and manage. Here are some tips for controlling black spot and how to minimize its impact on the health, beauty, and longevity of your plants.

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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BLACK SPOT?

As the name implies, the first signs of black spot are irregularly shaped spots up to 1/2 inch in diameter, especially on the upper leaf surface. As the disease worsens, the leaves begin to yellow and eventually drop from the plant prematurely, usually beginning at the bottom and progressing upward. Over time, the entire plant may become defoliated and the canes can become infected as well.

WHAT CAUSES BLACK SPOT?

Like most fungal plant diseases, black spot (caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae) is brought on by a wet, humid environment and cool temperatures—conditions most likely to occur early in the growing season. If left unchecked, the loss of leaves can weaken your plants and inhibit bloom development.

Black spot usually won’t kill your plants during the first year or two, but if it continues unabated, it will make them more susceptible to other diseases and unable to survive harsh winters.

HOW TO PREVENT BLACK SPOT

Black spot can be very difficult to control once it's well established. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent black spot from infecting your roses:

If your roses do become infected, remove the diseased leaves and dispose of them. Also prune away and discard any infected canes. In the fall, remove all leaves and plant debris from your rose garden to prevent black spot from overwintering and returning in the spring, when new growth begins. Even a harsh winter won’t kill spores that may be lying dormant in your garden.

Pro Tip: Denise Kelly of Variegata Studios also suggests spraying rose bushes with liquid kelp to make the cuticle of the leaf tougher, and therefore less susceptible.

HOW TO TREAT BLACK SPOT

Photo by Yulia Derid / Shutterstock.com

Once you see the telltale signs of black spot, you can’t reverse the disease but you can stop the spread of infection to new leaves. The key to success for any treatment option is persistence:

  1. Start treating your roses early in the growing season.
  2. Respray them every week or two and after a heavy rain.
  3. Be sure to spray the entire plant, including the tops and bottoms of the leaves as well as the stems.
  4. Apply a dormant spray over winter to smother overwintering fungal spores.

Fungicide: There are a number of environmentally friendly organic products that do a good job at suppressing black spot, including sulfur, neem oil, and copper. Most products are available as foliar sprays or dusting powders and will control many types of fungal diseases. (Read more on how to use neem oil.)

Home remedies: In a pinch, you can formulate your own antifungal spray for treating black spot using ingredients commonly found in the kitchen. A Cornell University researcher demonstrated that a mixture developed for powdery mildew—1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed in a gallon of water, with a bit of horticultural oil or liquid soap added to help it cling to the leaves—is also effective for reducing the spread of black spot.

Some gardeners have reported varying degrees of success using sprays made of milk, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide diluted with water. These homemade remedies may be worth a try, but we don't necessarily recommend them.

This publication from Purdue University Extension gives you tips for using organic fungicides and provides a list of commercially available products.

HOW DOES BLACK SPOT SPREAD?

Black spot spores are primarily spread from leaf to leaf and plant to plant by wind, but they won’t germinate without the presence of moisture. That’s why wet and humid conditions, especially over a prolonged period of time, are ideal conditions for black spot to take hold and spread freely.

Oso Easy Double Red™. Photo: Proven Winners.

GROW DISEASE-RESISTANT ROSES

If the thought of your roses becoming decimated by black spot (or other disease) sounds overwhelming, you don't have to forgo growing roses completely.

Oso Easy® landscape roses from Proven Winners are highly disease resistant and a great choice if you don’t want to deal with the constant worry of diseases ruining your rose bushes. They also don't require any fussy pruning, so they're "Oso Easy" to grow!

WHICH ROSES ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BLACK SPOT?

All types of roses are fair game for black spot, but some cultivars are much more susceptible than others. The roses most resistant to the disease include floribundas, shrub roses, and climbing roses, while the least resistant are hybrid tea roses, grandifloras, and miniature roses, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. In general, rose bushes with dense foliage or those with leaves that grow close to the ground are more prone to infestation than roses with an open, airy canopy.

WHICH ROSES ARE MORE RESISTANT TO BLACK SPOT?

Often the best approach to eliminating black spot in the garden is to replace your most vulnerable roses with newer disease-resistant hybrids, advises Peter Kukileski, author of Roses Without Chemicals, which lists 150 rose varieties that excel in gardens without the use of pesticides. Disease-resistant roses are also less susceptible to other common fungal ailments, such as powdery mildew, rust, and anthracnose.

The degree of resistance can vary depending on plant care, site conditions, and the local environment, but in most cases your disease-resistant roses won’t suffer much even if they do get black spot. "Some varieties of roses have a tendency that if they do get some black spot on their leaves, they won’t defoliate. The genetics of the plant are strong enough to keep the leaves on the plant even with disease,” says Kukileski.

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How to prune roses in the garden

Regular pruning of roses is the key to their lush flowering and good growth of new shoots. However, it is very important to do it correctly. Otherwise, you can destroy the plant. We will tell you how to prevent this.

There are several types (degrees) of pruning. They depend on the season, the group to which the rose belongs, and the height of the shoots of the plant.

Short (low) or high pruning roses

Used in spring (after winter cover has been removed) for hybrid tea, polyanthus and floribunda roses. And such pruning is carried out during the planting of new seedlings. nine0003

With heavy pruning, 1/3 of the shoots are left, while the stems are shortened at the level of 3-4 buds from the base of the bush.

Medium or moderate pruning roses

Suitable for various medium sized roses and mainly used after flowering. Shoots are shortened at the level of 5-7 buds from the base and thus form a bush.

Long (high) or low pruning roses

Recommended for vigorous climbing and tall hybrid tea roses. At the same time, the shoots are shortened slightly: at the level of 8-15 buds from the base of the bush. Long pruning is carried out during the spring planting of seedlings. nine0003

In addition, there is a combined pruning - when the shoots of one plant are shortened to varying degrees. With the help of such pruning, bushes of some varieties of floribunda roses are formed. This allows you to give the plants an elegant shape.

As well as sanitary pruning, which is carried out throughout the growing season in order to prevent diseases. At the same time, affected, dry, frozen and weak shoots are removed, the stems are shortened to a healthy (green) tissue.

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Don't feel sorry for the roses! From a damaged (brown) and dry branch, nothing will grow anyway

Spring pruning of roses

Before spring pruning, winter shelter is removed from plants, garbage is removed, all old leaves are removed and mulch is raked off. Then the roses are pruned when the weather is warm, the buds swell, but the shoots have not yet started to grow. At this time, sanitary pruning is carried out.

If the bush is too dense, thin it out and leave 4-5 strong, healthy stems. At the same time, it is important that all cuts are made with a sharp pruner, which minimally injures the plant. In addition, all shoots are cut at an angle of 45 degrees, retreating upwards from the bud by about 5 mm. nine0003

In spring, it is recommended to prune roses of any kind, since at this time it is important to remove all old and dry shoots so that the plant does not waste its strength on them, but seeks to grow new ones.

In addition, during spring pruning, the bush is given the desired shape and shoots are cut to stimulate flowering.

In the spring the shoots are pruned to healthy tissue

Summer pruning of roses

In the summer, sanitary and formative pruning of bushes is continued: wild shoots, dried branches and wilted flowers are removed, cutting the stem to the first cinquefoil and a healthy bud. Roses older than 3 years often grow too many young shoots in August, which thicken the bush and create a shadow inside it. This can lead to the development of fungal diseases, so during the summer you need to get rid of excess shoots. nine0003

Pruning roses after flowering

This is a very important summer pruning and should be mentioned separately. Removing wilted buds allows roses to bloom longer and not waste energy on fruiting.

On roses that have several buds on one stem (floribunda, climbing climbers, scrubs), cut off the entire cluster above the upper cinquefoil.

In hybrid tea roses, which produce only one flower per stem, wilted buds are pruned differently. In the first half of summer, the shoot is cut so that only 3-4 leaves remain on it above the soil level. This will contribute to the rapid growth of new shoots coming from the roots. nine0003

In the first half of summer, you can also prune floribunda roses.

And in the second half of summer, only faded flowers should be removed.

Climbing ramblers (which flower on second-year shoots) have their tufts removed after flowering to the first leaf. This will contribute to the branching of the shoots, on which flowers will bloom next year.

Pruning roses in autumn

Roses grown in mild climates without winter shelter do not need pruning for the winter. And from covering roses in late autumn (approximately in October, before frost), all unripened shoots are removed and the stems are shortened to the height of the covering material. nine0003

General rules for pruning roses

At any time of the year, it is important to trim rose stems correctly. The oblique cut should be approximately 5 mm above the kidney.

Cutting chart for rose shoots

If you want a spreading rose bush, cut the branches above the bud that is on the outside. Then the new shoot will not grow in the center of the bush, but outward. And if you need to grow an upright bush with vertical shoots, pruning is done on a bud, which is located on the inside of the stem. nine0003

In addition, the age of the bushes must be taken into account. So, in annual plants, the shoot is cut about half.

In the second year, 2-3 regeneration shoots are formed on each branch, which grow from the root collar. In no case can they be cut to the ground, since it is they who provide the plants with lush flowering and longevity. So, two-year-old shoots are shortened by 2-3 eyes from the base, and one-year shoots are shortened above the upper well-formed bud, located below the faded buds. nine0003

Adult roses (from three years of age) completely remove all dead and weakened branches and short shoots that have grown after pruning the previous year. In addition, for the formation of good flowers, all side shoots of any thickness growing towards the center of the bush should be cut.

Pruning hybrid tea roses

Pruned hybrid tea bushes in the shape of a ball. In these plants, buds form on the shoots of the current year, so they are greatly shortened. On young bushes, 2-4 buds are left at a distance of 15 cm from the ground level, and on adults - 4-6 buds at a distance of about 20 cm. On lateral shoots, 2-4 buds are also left. nine0003

Pruning chart for hybrid tea roses

In addition, the inner stems are removed from the center of the bush, which contribute to thickening.

Pruning of hybrid tea roses is carried out every year

Pruning of floribunda roses

Floribunda roses also need a strong (short) pruning, otherwise they will grow a voluminous bush with weak stems and small flowers. But so that the plant does not quickly deplete with strong pruning, a special method is used: some stems are made short to get early flowering, and annual basal shoots are cut only 1/3 of the length. nine0003

Floribunda rose pruning scheme

Leave 2-3 buds on young lateral branches and 3-5 buds on old ones. At the same time, the old stems growing in the middle of the bush are completely cut out.

In floribunda roses throughout the growing season, up to shelter for the winter, shoots are cut every 10-12 days. Their stems are tied with a rope, bent to the ground and then covered. And the main pruning is carried out in the spring. nine0003

After removing the shelter, the stems are shortened so as to give the bush a beautiful shape, 2-4 buds are left on the side shoots. And in the summer of such roses, wilted flowers are cut to the first leaf.

Pruning scheme for climbing roses

Pruning polyanthus roses

Polyanthus roses are also mainly pruned in spring (usually in April), and only damaged and weak branches are removed in autumn. In early spring, strong shoots are shortened by 1/3 of the length, dead, weak and diseased branches are cut out completely. Thickening shoots are removed from the center of the bush. nine0003

Pruning scheme for polyanthus roses

Pruning ground cover roses

For ground cover roses, flowering shoots, weak branches and diseased growths are cut off in autumn, strong young basal branches that have grown this year are left, but they are slightly shortened. Lateral shoots are cut into 2-3 buds up to 10-15 cm from their base. Long stems are bent to the ground, secured with pins and covered. In the spring, frozen and broken branches are cut out.

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Pruning chart for ground cover roses

Standard roses are heavily pruned before planting. And in the rest of the period, pruning is carried out, depending on the variety of the rose grafted onto the trunk.

Cut your roses the right way and the rose garden will delight you with magnificent flowers every year.

How to prune roses: spring, summer and autumn pruning roses, when to prune and how to prune

Do not neglect rose pruning! After all, it is needed not only for beauty (the shape of a shrub). Pruning allows you to get a large number of flowers in the new season. I'll tell you exactly how to prune roses and properly form the aerial part of the plant. nine0003

Editor's note: The recommendations of the author - a landscape designer from Novosibirsk - are based on the experience of growing for their own climatic zone. Adjust for your region: add or subtract a few weeks if you grow roses in the south or in central Russia

Architectural Plants Ltd

Pruning equipment
Pruning should only be done with a good, sharp tool that ensures an even cut without deformation or damage. nine0003

I use secateurs and garden shears to prune roses. I cut the stiff shoots with secateurs, and it is convenient to cut faded flowers with garden shears. I also definitely use gloves (either special for rose growers or old leather ones) - rose thorns are very sharp, and injections and scratches from them heal for a long time.

Janet Paik

Important: Learn how to make the right cut: at an angle of 40-45 degrees at a distance of 5-6 mm from the bud growing in the direction we need, more often - outside the bush. The cut should be even, without damage to the bark and without “chewing” the wood - the health of your plants depends on this. nine0003

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Tatyana Osipova

Spring pruning
I am often asked when it is better to prune roses - in autumn or spring. Of course, after the winter! The main pruning of roses occurs in the spring, after the plants have come out from under the snow. Spring pruning of roses is of two types - sanitary and shaping.

Janet Paik

The basic rule for pruning any shrub: the stronger the shoot, the less it is cut. For a weak shoot, on the contrary, a stronger pruning is needed, that is, it needs to be cut as low as possible - this stimulates the development of lower, stronger buds (they are located closer to the root system and receive more nutrition). nine0003

Important: Don't get too carried away with pruning. The rose does not have to "rise from the ashes" every year, like the Phoenix bird. It weakens her. A well-formed bush increases in volume every year, you only need to correct its shape annually and regulate flowering by pruning.

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Pruning tips for different types of roses

Tatyana Osipova

Tatyana Osipova

on the diagram: strong spring pruning of roses - 1-2 kidneys

Tatyana Osipova

on the scheme: moderate pruning of the kidneys

Tatyana Osipova

In the diagram: weak pruning of roses - for 8-12 buds

Tatyana Osipova

By the way : Do not rush to pick up a climbing rose in spring. I usually remove or loosen some of the holding devices, but I do not immediately raise the rose: I wait until it wakes up and leaves open on new shoots located along the entire length of the stem. And only then I raise, placing the shoots at an angle. So the rose will bloom throughout its height. If you pick it up right away, flowering will be on the tops of the shoots, and the bottom will remain bare, not blooming. nine0003

The photo clearly shows that new, flowering shoots have grown along the entire length of the stem that was bent over last season. Now they also need to be placed horizontally so that the kidneys on them wake up along the entire length, and not just at the tops. For beginner rose growers, the figures below schematically show examples of such a garter.

Tatyana Osipova

Scheme of a horizontal garter of a climbing rose in spring

Tatyana Osipova

Scheme of a garter of climbing rose shoots at an angle

Tatyana Osipova

In fact, there are no strict rules on how to prune this or that group of roses. Proper pruning is the one that benefits the flowers. Most often, I do a combined pruning: on one bush, I cut some shoots strongly, and some moderately. With such pruning, for example, a hybrid tea rose, you can achieve a more beautiful shape of the bush and longer flowering. The most important thing is to try to form a bush that is beautiful in shape: rounded, symmetrical, without “holes” and distortions. nine0003

The photo clearly shows how I cut two spray roses in my garden

Tatyana Osipova

Photo: the same roses, but after pruning. I trimmed the shoots a little and gave the bushes a suitable shape

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Summer pruning of roses
Pruning roses during the summer is also possible and necessary. Summer pruning of roses is especially important in the first years of the plant's life. Within two to three years after planting, you need to try to properly form a bush - so that it is harmonious, rounded, not one-sided and not crooked. For this, pruning of roses is needed in the summer: shorten too long shoots in a timely manner, remove those that grow inside the bush or cross with others (otherwise the bush will be too thick and all its branches will not have enough light), remove damaged or broken stems in time. nine0003

ZELЁNKA STUDIO

It is convenient to combine the formative pruning of roses in summer with the pruning of faded flowers. When I remove a faded flower or inflorescence, I always look at how the shoot is located relative to the shape and symmetry of the entire bush. If I see that it strongly outgrows the bush or has taken a not very good direction, I cut it off lower - to the bud that seems to me more correct for the formation of the bush.

Don't forget to keep an eye on the growth of the rootstock: as soon as you notice, remove it immediately. It is not worth the wait and delay. nine0003

There are varieties of roses that suddenly throw out long thick shoots - "rods".

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