Pruning roses

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Growing Roses (p.9)

ANR-157, Reprinted October 1996. Recommended for Extension use by Dave Williams, Extension Horticulturist, Associate Professor, Horticulture, Auburn University. Former authors and revisers include Bridget Behe, former Extension Horticulturist; Patricia Cobb, Extension Entomologist; Austin Hagan, Extension Plant Pathologist; Kim Sheffer, former Horticulturist; Ron Shumack, Extension Horticulturist; George Stritikus, Extension Agent, and Dave Williams, Extension Horticulturist; all at Auburn University.

Pruning

Pruning roses improves the size, quality, and color of blooms. As soon as the danger of frost is over, you should get ready to prune. Select three to five vigorous, healthy canes to be left to produce flowers. The amount of pruning varies with the variety of rose. However, the first pruning should remove dead, damaged, or weak growth.

For most rose buds, cuts should be made below the third true leaf. For occasional longer stems, stems may be cut above the first true leaf above the break. First year plants should be cut higher (at or near the first true leaf) to allow more leaves to remain on the plant and produce food.

Your pruning can also regulate the number of flowers produced. Leave longer canes if more flowers are desired. If large show-type blooms are desired, cut back to a few canes and head the remaining ones back to 12 to 14 inches above the ground.

Bush roses (grandifloras, hybrid teas, floribundas) should be pruned in early spring. Prune after the last frost has occurred or when buds begin to swell.

Hybrid Teas. Canes killed by cold, diseases, and insects should be removed first. Next remove all suckers growing below the graft union. Cut all the remaining canes back to 12 to 15 inches aboveground or to a bud 1 inch below any damaged part of the cane. NOTE: Be aware of any cold damage or disease tankers. Cold damage will appear as a browning of the stem and, most often, a brown pith or center of the cane. Cuts should be 1/4 inch above a bud and made at a 45-degree angle. On most varieties, to encourage growth away from the center of the bush, cut to an outside bud. Varieties that tend to spread will grow more erect if the canes are cut back to an inside bud. Leave only three or four sturdy canes when pruning for exhibition blooms. These canes should be pruned back severely. Plants should be well established before cutting. Growth can also be controlled by rubbing off new and weak shoots not needed for blooms. Only two or three of the strongest buds per cane should remain.

Prune tree roses in the same manner as hybrid teas by cutting back branches within 6 to 8 inches of the crown. Avoid letting the top get too heavy. Compact, vigorous new growth should be encouraged by cutting out weak branches.

Floribundas and Grandifloras. These roses should not be pruned as heavily as hybrid teas. Often these roses grow to a considerable height and produce more blooms. Cut back an inch below any darkened area to remove any dead and diseased wood. The entire branch should be removed if it is badly diseased or dead. Three to five strong, healthy canes should be left. Next, any canes having weak growth or those growing toward the center of the plant should be removed. Any remaining canes should be cut 18 to 24 inches above the ground, depending upon the plant's vigor.

Climbing Roses. Many of these roses bloom in early spring and need pruning at the end of flowering. Any new canes that have developed should be left since these will produce flowers the next year. Cut all old canes back to the ground immediately after flowering.

Some varieties of climbers will continue to bloom throughout the growing season. These varieties produce new canes from old canes rather than from the base of the plant. It is best to leave five or six strong healthy canes and to remove the older canes at the ground. Sometimes these remaining canes produce heavy branching. To control growth and encourage flowering, these lateral branches should be kept headed back. Faded flower clusters should be removed, too.

Climbing hybrid tea roses should be pruned lightly. Remove only weak, diseased, and dead wood.

Cutting Roses. Since cutting determines a plant's growth pattern, there are correct and incorrect ways of cutting roses.

The right way to cut a flower starts with proper equipment--clean, sharp shears or pruners and a pair of protective gloves because of thorns. Next, the proper place to cut should be determined. If a large, single, decorative flower is desired, disbud the plants early when the buds are small. Cut stems should be approximately 5 to 10 inches in length, depending on each plant.

Make the cut just above a five-leaflet node to promote a healthy flowering shoot to grow after the cut. Roses have three-, five-, and seven-leaflet nodes. The best place to cut the rose is just above a five-leaflet node because a strong shoot should emerge from just below the cut. This shoot should produce a good flower bud. The second-best cut would be just above the seven-leaflet node, and the third-best cut would be at a three-leaflet node.

Some roses may be harmed by too much cutting. In the spring, reduced growth may result from cutting a long stem, which removes a large number of leaves. Long-stemmed roses can be taken more safely after mid-season.

Some rose varieties may be rooted; however, it is advisable to purchase 2-year old budded plants from a reliable nursery. Many of the new varieties are difficult to propagate. Even if you root the new growth, the new plant will probably have a weak root system. Since many of the new varieties are patented, their propagation is illegal unless permission is granted from the introducer.

Treatment of Cut Roses for Longest Life--All cut flowers have a limited life, but there are some simple steps you can take to extend the enjoyment of your fresh roses. When you cut them outdoors, take a pail of warm water with you and place the roses in it immediately after cutting. Once you have collected all the roses for your enjoyment, take the pail inside.

Prepare your vase by adding a measured amount of pre-packaged floral food in warm water. The old tales of using an aspirin or copper penny don't work. Science has produced a food for flowers (not plant food) that meets all its needs and will help roses last for 7 to 10 days. Too much food is as bad for the rose as too little. Be sure to measure the amount of floral food you mix in the vase. Use warm water, not too hot or cold.

Once you have prepared the vase, you need to cut the rose stem. Roses will last several days longer if you re-cut their stems under water. Place the bottom 2 inches of the rose stem under water and make a sharp angled cut, removing the bottom 1 inch of the stem. You may even see a little air bubble emerging as you make the cut. Cutting rose stems under water can help extend the vase life of roses for several days. Don't submerge the entire rose under water as this won't help and can harm the rose by promoting disease problems.

Cut flowers, especially roses, may wilt prematurely but may be revived and their life extended for several days. A slanted cut should be made an inch or so from the base of the stem while holding the stem under water. Cutting stems underwater prevents an air bubble from entering the stem and blocking the uptake of water.

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