Is it too late to prune my roses? **NewQuestion/New Pics**

[okiemommy]

I think I'm going to be a terrible gardener. I kept looking intently at my rosebushes when my mother told me to prune them...every time she came over this late summer and early fall, and never did it. It would have been easy I'm sure but the thought of cutting my rosebush nearly down to the ground, despite her insistence that it's better for it, just turned my stomach. So I procrastinated. And now it's almost January. So my question is what do I do now? Can I cut them back in the winter? Or do I need to wait until spring? They were a sorry sight this summer, and my mom said it was because the previous owner didn't prune them in the fall either. Can I still save them from certain pitiful-ness this summer?New

 

[Rosalind]

How cold is it in your area? You can prune roses in winter, although it's certainly better to do it in late fall. You just won't get nearly the same effects, this year's growth will still be spindly-ish.

 

[okiemommy]

We've had several 48 to 72 hour stretches of single digit and low double digit temps a couple of weeks before Christmas, but other than that it has been a mild winter with temps in the 40's 50's 60's and even a few 70's (!) Today it is supposed to be 65 and tomorrow 63, and the rest of the week the highs aren't supposed to get lower than mid 40's. Is there a day that I should do it on that would be better?

 

[aee96]

Well you are a little farther north than me but the rule of thumb for my neck of the woods is to trim your roses no earlier than Feb 14th (Valentine's day). We don't get hard winters here so roses pretty much grow the whole time. When you prune here the rose responds with new growth. Our average last frost dates are in mid February so the thinking is you don't want the new growth to freeze off.

I dead head all thru winter (most of my climbing roses are still blooming - the bushes not so much) but don't do the major pruning until mid February.

I live just southwest of Houston Texas.

aee96

 

[okiemommy]

Ours don't bloom year round. I think they usually go dormant at the beginning to mid Fall unless it is an unusually warm one. We had an early frost this year so they went dormant earlier than they sometimes do. Our seasons are a play it by ear kind of thing here. If you want to have plants out at the beginning or the end of the season, you take the chance of getting a good Frost, so you have to keep plastic bags at the ready to cover your plants.

 

[vfem]

You are in my zone, and we prune our mom's at the end of Febuary beginning of March. I always forget in the fall, they do fine every year though.... well, until my dad mows them over by accident EVERY summer!

 

[okiemommy]

Thank you!! YAY!! My roses will thrive this summer!!! I'll take pics and post some when they bloom.

You are in my zone, and we prune our mom's at the end of Febuary beginning of March. I always forget in the fall, they do fine every year though.... well, until my dad mows them over by accident EVERY summer!

oh no!!

My dad used to mow plants over to until he finally decided to put huge awful markers around them to keep him from doing it.

 

[okiemommy]

I cut back one of my rosebushes per the advice I got on here. Thanks again Everyone!!

I have another question before I cut down the second one: There is only one "branch" Not sure what it's called, that is alive and holding up a huge conglomeration of branches. So where should I cut? Should I go ahead and trim down the whole thing....cut it all off to the bottom? Or should I just prune some branches at the top?

Here is a pic of what it looks like. That is our handsome Tomcat in the picture

All of the branches at the bottom have already been cut, and they looked completely dead. (??)

ETA: Here's a bigger and hopefully easier to see pic:

 

[okiemommy]

Anyone??

 

[Greensage45]

Hi Okie,

Here is my take on your rose. First there is quite a bit of dead that needs to be removed. Also I doubt this is a bush that is on its own roots; if not then the graft portion is below the soil line.

Go ahead and lower the soil line around the rose, I would even create a furrow or depression for deeper watering. Then remove all the dead branches.

Leave what is left up top; this bush obviously needs all the leaf it can muster.

Next you need to apply some Epsom Salts. I find the Epsom Salts promotes the growth of new offshoots at the graft point. This will (hopefully) encourage new branches.

Then you need to Fertilize for Spring. Most folks think that during winter a plant is in dormancy and is not doing anything, but that is contrary to the truth. All plants utilize the winter to grow up to 90% of its newest root growth; taking advantage of not having to support blooms and new leaf growth. So by winter's end your bush will be ready for some fertilizer to get the new growth started. My recommendation is a fertilizer designed specifically for roses with a systemic pesticide. This will keep thrips and aphids off of your bush.

By one or two seasons from now Then I would bring all the canes (primary branches) down to about 12-18 inches tall; but do not do this in the Fall, do not do this in the Winter, but wait until just about the time the bush is going to break dormancy. Here in the desert Southwest we normally do our pruning on or around February 14th (Valentine's Day=Heart=Roses). This makes it easy to remember. Then you will get a new healthy start in creating a fabulous bushy bush loaded with the largest blooms you have ever seen.

GoodLuck! I think you will really see a difference before long.

Take care, Ron

ps, the reason I wait until Spring to do any pruning is because pruning done in the Fall and Winter might leave you with canes that could succumb to disease and freezing. It is best to allow your bushes to carry over until Spring just before they break dormancy. This way the plant will be focused on the new growth and overcome any hazards, and you can identify and remove those that do not make it. Some folks like a neat and tidy garden before Winter sets in, with me I find I have less loss if I wait until Spring.