Time to Prune those Roses!

Pink Promise hybrid tea tose

It may not feel like spring is around the corner (and it doesn't help that the weather people are predicting some snowfall tonight), but I'm ready to get out there and garden! Being in California surrounded by beautiful flowers has really pushed my gardening button. Unfortunately there will be no gardening for this eager little bee for a couple more months. However, now is the time to do some "spring" pruning. For those of you who have roses and don't know what to do with them, here is the pruning guide from http://www.olyrose.org/ which is the website for the Rose Society in Olympia. Hope these hints are helpful and will bring you many beautiful flowers this summer!

Spring pruning is usually done during the second week of March around south Puget Sound -- a week or so later at higher elevations. First remove the mounding material to expose the lower plant and canes. Then follow directions below.

Modern bush roses:
Take out all dead wood.
Take out all crossed or twiggy growth, and any cane smaller than a pencil in diameter.
Keep the center open for good air circulation.
Cut all canes to white or pale green pith. Any brown coloration in the pith indicates a dead or dying cane, in which case the cane should be pruned to a lower bud eye, clear to the crown if necessary, in order to find live pith.
Cut approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch above a bud. Cut to an outside bud to make the plants grow wider. Cut to an inside bud for more upright growth on a plant that has a tendency to sprawl.
Use sharp tools for cutting.

Cut canes at uneven heights for a longer blooming period and better appearance.
Select from 3 to 6 strong basal shoots from previous year's growth. Remove all other growth. Then prune those canes left.
Accomplish as many chores as possible just after pruning before the bushes have sprouted. Remove mulch from the bud union, weed, and clean up the rose garden. This prevents breaking off the new shoots when doing these things later.

Climbing roses:
Take out all dead wood.
Take out crossed growth, and canes that grow into walkways.
Cut all canes to white or pale green pith. Any brown coloration in the pith indicates a dead or dying cane, in which case the cane should be pruned to a lower bud eye, clear to the crown if necessary, in order to find live pith.
Select long, pliable canes as the framework; train these primary canes onto the support, as horizontal as possible. Climbing roses bloom best on horizontal canes.
Trim secondary growth coming off the primary canes, to just a few inches long, with 2-4 buds. These secondary twigs are the flowering wood.

Antique and Old Garden roses:
Roses that bloom once a year should be pruned in summer, after bloom. Pruning can also be done in winter, but will remove canes that would have bloomed the next spring.
Take out all dead wood.
Take out all crossed growth and any damaged canes.
On mature bushes, remove a few of the oldest canes to the ground.
Cut back the entire bush by up to one half. Hedge shears are fine.
Most roses in these classifications prefer little pruning beyond the above steps. They should not be pruned as severely as hybrid tea roses, and can in fact be left unpruned most years.