| Pruning your roses is one of the most needed | | | | * You want to get rid of the winter protection |
| and the most annoyingly difficult tasks that goes | | | | that you set up like cones, burlap, and mounded |
| with proper rose care. It takes a steady hand the | | | | soil. |
| proper procedure to ensure the best possible | | | | * You want to get rid of the dead wood first. |
| roses that you can get. | | | | (That would be the black wood that is black inside |
| Pruning your roses is basically the act of getting | | | | as well as out). |
| rid of dead and damaged pieces, and teaching the | | | | * Next, you wan to get rid of the thinner wood, |
| new growth to grow in the correct outward | | | | which is the stems that are thinner than a pencil. |
| facing direction. That just means that you are | | | | * Cut all of the branches that cross or overlap |
| training them to grow facing the outside of the | | | | one another because these are often diseased or |
| shrub or bush. This gives your roses the correct | | | | will become so. |
| amount of circulating air to thrive in. | | | | * Keep the remaining five healthy branches. |
| Here is a list of the proper techniques to guide | | | | These are often dark green. You will want to |
| through the pruning process. | | | | make your roses fluted or vases shaped, with an |
| * Soak your pruning shears in equal parts of | | | | open center, and keep them from touching or |
| water and bleach. This will help to protect your | | | | overlapping each other. |
| roses from diseases and insects. | | | | * Cut your healthy canes to be about one to four |
| * Pruning in the early spring, just after the snow | | | | feet long, or whatever size that you prefer. |
| melts is best. However you want to do it before | | | | * Cut you roses properly so that they stay |
| any new growth appears. The best time would be | | | | healthy. Cut so that the bud is facing outside of |
| when the buds are swelled, or red. | | | | the bush and at a 45 degree angle that slopes |
| * Hand shears are the best tool for pruning the | | | | inward so that you can keep promoting the |
| smaller branches. (about 4 1/2 inches thick) | | | | outward growth. |
| Loppers are best for the branches that are | | | | * You should use bypass pruners that work like |
| thicker or the thickness of a pencil. This will make | | | | scissors and not the anvil types because the |
| it easier. You should use a heavy pair of rose | | | | anvils crush the stems and make the roses more |
| gloves to avoid the thorns. | | | | available to diseases. |