Your Guide To Pruning Rose Bushes

Rose bush pruning is a vital part of your rose care routine. But there are likely as many opinions on how to go about pruning as there are types of roses that require it.

Rose growing experts have their favorite "tried and tested" methods, but this is for those who don't know where to start. As your ability grows you will modify these techniques and develop some new ones of your own.

Rose pruning can be easier than you may be expecting. In fact, there are 4 basic rules and some common sense ones. If you keep these basic rules in mind when you pick up your rose hand pruners, you'll be rewarded with beautiful rose bushes that demonstrate the care that you put into them.

The 4 Basic Rules

1. Always keep the middle of your bushes free of growth. This denies insects a place to live, and allows good air circulation which helps to keep down fungal infection.

2. Always remove any dead or decayed growth. This keeps your bushes looking better and again, keeps insects away.

3. Shape your rose bushes as they grow. This transforms your bushes from wild and messy to precise and proper like all good roses.

4. Remove crossing branches to promote strong growth.

A Couple Of Common Sense Rules

Always use sharp pruning shears. And clean your shears after to remove any disease or fungus.

Seal the cuts you've made to keep out disease. Just use regular white PVA glue, which works fine and is a lot cheaper than specialist products.

Types Of Rose Bush Pruning

Hard Pruning - cut canes back to three or four buds from the base. This results in strong canes of about 4 to 5 inches in length. Do not use hard pruning with established bushes because they may not regrow. The only exception is as a last-ditch effort to revive sick or neglected bushes. This technique is best with grandiflora, new hybrid tea, and floribunda roses.

Moderate Pruning - cut strong stems back to about half of their length. Weaker stems may be cut back even more. This technique works fine with established gardens of hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, and rose trees.

Light Pruning - Cut the canes back to around 2/3 of their length. Any leftover stems can be lightly trimmed back. Light pruning is not generally recommended for most bushes as it tends to produce early blooms and badly developed flowers. Use this technique only if other types of rose bush pruning are failing and the bush is an eyesore to begin with.

For more gardening tips and information click now to learn more about rose gardening.