STEP BY STEP
Prune shrub roses
Prune shrub roses before they burst into growth. Have loppers on hand, but secateurs will be sufficient for most of the work. Make clean cuts and tidy up all the prunings to reduce the risk of fungal disease. This spring pruning is particularly important for shrub rose that were left uncut for late flowers or rose hips over winter.
1 IDENTIFY the shoots crowding into the centre and cut them back flush to a main stem. This opens up the plant, and improves growth by allowing air and light into the centre.
2 CUT out crossing branches by selecting and pruning out the weakest of the two or the one that compromises the shape the most. Keep an eye on the overall balance of the shrub to avoid it becoming lopsided.
3 REDUCE the height by up to a third by cutting all the whippy shoots, left from last year’s late-summer growth, back to a strong bud.
4 CUT out all the remaining die-back and misplaced shoots to finish the spring tidy-up with an open, strong structure that will support plenty of flowers this summer.