Prepare your Rose Garden for pruning
JULY on the gardening calendar signifies the annual task of rose pruning and if you have not already pruned your roses, there are some handy tips to ensure that your roses will be in good shape for a Spring flourish of seasonal colour.
Whether you have many roses to prune or just a few, the process is just the same. The most important tip to remember when pruning is the timing of when the task should be done.
Over time, I have been told of different dates of when this task should be achieved, but have come up with the conclusion that around mid to late July in our climate is more than likely suitable, while the plant is generally dormant from Winter, but not in a position where excessive numbers of frosts will occur.
Pruning of your roses at this time of the year, enables you to discard old growth, ready for the next season and at the same time giving the plant new shape and vigor.
Before starting, check to see if your secateurs are in good working order, making sure that the cutting blade is sharp to give a clean cut. Alternatively, you may have old “woody” stems on your roses that need to be removed. In this case, it may be necessary to use a lopper which again will require good working, sharp effective blades for an optimum cut.
Roses generally can take a decent prune if they have not had much attention for a few seasons. In the case of bush roses, cutting back previous growth close to the main branching point of stems is advised, remembering at the same time to leave some shape in the plant for the visual aspect, not only now but also when the plant takes on new growth during spring.
Standard roses are more intricate in their appearance and may require you to be a little less generous in the pruning process, as retaining the shape of this variety, will enable them to look more elegant and hold their appearance.
When your pruning has been completed, don’t forget to spray a suitable fungicide to discourage the effects of black spot and other fungal disease. The most popular choice for a fungicide is Lime Sulphur. Always check the label for dilution rates and apply the spray to the point of “run off” to all stems and branches, also spraying the ground under the plant to also discourage fungal spores on the soil surface. It is also advised to remove any dead or fallen leaves from underneath your roses, as this will reduce the incidence of fungal spores on the ground, before spraying an application of Lime Sulphur.
Whilst your roses are in their dormant stage at this point in winter, you won’t have to apply a fertiliser until the end of Winter or the start of Spring. Use a good quality fertiliser later in the season for a flush of colour during the next season.
Roses generally can take a decent prune if they have not had much attention for a few seasons. In the case of bush roses, cutting back previous growth close to the main branching point of stems is advised
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