To Prune or Not to Prune

[Broke Down Ranch]

This talk of miniature roses reminded me I wanted to ask the best way to trim mine or if I should even mess with it right now or should I wait until winter or spring. This little rose bush is about 8 years old and I have never done anything for it except water. Normally it is covered in blooms but this year it looks like the hoppers have really done a number. And it looks overgrown with weeds or something in the pic but that is actually dead branches and stuff down in there. Also, what would be good to feed it with? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Greensage45]

Hi,

It does look a bit like me in the mornings.

I would suggest waiting. If you prune now it might actually cause it to throw new growth which might then not harden off enough to survive an early frost.

Some folks prefer waiting until Spring to do Rose pruning, I personally do my Roses on Valentines Day and then by March I start getting blooms. I would not be against cutting before Spring, but you might end up with some canes that died over the winter.

If anything you might pull away all the rocks surrounding it, clean out any weeds, toss some mulch or compost around it, then rearrange your rocks back into place. Remove dead and dying enough to get it to look cleaned-up.

Be sure and try to obtain any rose hips so that you can make 'babies' from this rose. I usually wait until the hip begins to shrivel on the bush like a raisin, then I pull the seeds out, wash them, and then plant them in a covered seed tray. (The hips do this after several freezes so the seeds are already stratified) Some folks stratify in the fridge for several weeks to a month, then plant.

Do you treat your roses with Epsom Salts? I usually do this in the Spring. I add about 1/4 cup of Epsom Salts to the base of the plant and water in good. My findings are that it causes the plant to produce more canes from the base of the plant. Some folks say they notice the colors are more enhance, but I am not too sure how much prettier a rose can get.

What color is the bloom?

Good Luck,

Ron

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

I am a little ashamed to admit I have never done much for this poor rose besides pulling the weeds from amongst it. I like the small stuff you suggest to help the poor thing get strong again. It looks so pitiful this year. I guess that's why I've never done much for it - it's always so lush.

OK, now I am really showing my rose ignorance - rose hips? I have heard of them but didn't know they were actually seeds...?? What do they look like?

This particular rose blooms a very pretty pink.

 

[Greensage45]

Hi again,

The hip is the seedpod that forms after the bloom. I do have several that seem to never form hips and instead drop off shortly after the bloom dries up. It all depends on the pollination.

You can use a q-tip or a small artist's brush to cross pollinate in the future and this might bring the hips to maturity.

Here is a picture of some rose hips

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

Ron I have never tried to start Rose seeds.

I always did cuttings.

Please do tell a bit more about the Hips and seeds.

How to sprout and such.

If you don't mind of course!

Thanks; Joe