Learn how to prune your roses effectively with this five-step guide for healthier blooms this year. Follow these simple tips for a thriving garden.
City: London: Pruning roses might sound tough, but it’s worth it. Healthy plants bloom more and last longer. Plus, it’s not as hard as it seems!
Start by removing dead or sick branches. This helps air and sunlight reach the healthy parts. It also keeps diseases away and encourages more flowers.
Michael Griffiths, known as @themeditteraneangardener on TikTok, shared a video on how to prune roses in winter. He says now is the perfect time to start for more blooms.
He laid out five easy steps to help you prune your roses right. Let’s break them down!
1. Prune the Dead Wood
First, cut away the brown or black stems. These are dead. Keep the green ones, which are alive. Cut them back to the base to remove all dead parts.
2. Open Up the Centre
Next, remove any branches that cross each other. They can rub and cause damage, which leads to diseases.
3. Remove Thin or Weak Growth
Michael suggests cutting any canes thinner than a pencil. These won’t grow well and will produce fewer flowers.
4. Prune the Remaining Canes
For the healthy canes, cut them down by one-third. Make your cuts just above an outward-facing bud at a 45-degree angle. This helps new stems grow outward.
5. Fertilize and Mulch Roses After Pruning
After pruning, it’s important to feed your roses. They need good nutrition and mulch. Michael says, “Roses are big eaters,” so give them fertilizer in spring.
Wait about a month or until new growth is half an inch long before you fertilize.
