Afraid of Pruning your Rose Bush?

A lot of gardeners are afraid of pruning their rose bushes. There is really no reason for it. Letting it get overgrown is a lot worse than if you make a slight mistake when you cut it back. The center of the rose bush has to get sunlight and have proper air circulation for the rosebush to thrive. If you let the bush grow without restraint, you’re doing it more harm than if you snip off a branch at the wrong point.

Some roses bloom on last year’s growth while others bloom on new growth. If you prune the type that blooms on the old growth in the spring, it stands to reason that you won’t get as many blooms during the current blooming season, but don’t worry. Next year they will bloom with vigor and you’ll know that the best time to prune that particular type of rose is in the fall.

Spring pruning is best for the rose bushes that bloom on new growth. It’s also a good time to get out there and check the roses for any damage that the winter months have contributed to.

Before you start grooming your rose bushes, make sure that all of your gardening tools are clean. You can easily move garden diseases from one area of the garden to another with improperly cleaned tools. It’s easy to clean the tools, and if you don’t know how it’s all laid out in How to Clean Your Garden Tools.

Protect your hands when you’re working with roses. Don’t forget how sharp those thorns can be.

A good article to guide you step by step through the pruning process can be found at Pruning the Rose Bush. Follow the directions and you can’t go wrong.

Even though a lot of people think it’s hard to grow roses, it’s really not as long as you know how to take care of them. 

Get the Most out of Your Fresh Cut Roses

I love my rose bushes. No matter what type of rose it is, the blooms from a healthy rose bush seem to brighten the whole garden. Home grown roses also make wonderful cut flowers so they can be enjoyed indoors as well as out. A few simple steps can ensure that you harvest the blooms in a way that they will stay fresh and vibrant for as long as possible.

Make sure that the tools you bring to the garden to cut the roses are clean. There is no sense in contaminating the freshly cut stem that will only serve to make the flowers wilt faster. Bring a bucket of tepid water to the garden so that you can plunge the freshly cut stem immediately.

Cut the roses during the coolest part of the day, early in the morning or at dusk. This will prevent wilting. The rosebuds that are just beginning to unfold will last the longest in the floral arrangement.

Make a 45 degree angled cut above the bottom 2 leaves on the stem with a sharp knife or shears. The top leaf on the portion of the stem should face outward because the new growth will start here. You want it to grow toward the outside, not inward.

Put your freshly cut rose into the bucket of water. Immerse the whole stem, leaving only the blossom above the water.

Keep the roses cool until you’re ready to arrange them. When your cut flowers are not on display, move them to the coolest part of the home to help them last longer.

Cut roses can be beautifully displayed on their own, mixed with other garden flowers or even surrounded by greenery. I personally like a single bud displayed in a tiny vase on the nightstand.