Boost your blooms by pruning your roses this week

Hey, hey rose lovers!  This is the week you’ve been waiting for.  It’s time for a light pruning this week.

Why do we prune in the fall?  The main reason is to encourage new growth with a fresh flush of flowers that you’ll see once the weather begins to cool.  We all feel pretty exhausted after the intense summer months and roses feel it too.  Consider this their back to school trim.

Let’s focus on removing no more than 1/3 of each rose bush.  In particular, pay attention to trimming away dead, diseased or damaged canes.  Think about air circulation.  If your rose bush is dense, remove a few canes from the center to increase airflow. 

Make sure to prune in the morning on a dry day.  Use clean, sharp bypass pruners and make cuts at a 45-degree angle about 1/4 inch above a bud.

After pruning, apply a rose fertilizer as directed and water in well at root level, avoiding the leaves.

By pruning in early fall, you’ll set your roses up for a successful flush of new blooms.  Remember, this is just a light pruning. Your most important pruning will come in February, right after Valentine’s Day.