Pruning roses 

The enormous range of rose types is divided into a few large groups nowadays. The term bush roses is a collective name for the large group of bushy, heavily cultivated roses which include old groups such as tea hybrids, floribundas, polyanthas, patio roses and sometimes also the miniature roses, although the latter are sometimes placed in a separate group.

Index:

• How to prune roses
• When to prune roses
• Pruning bush roses
• Pruning miniature roses
• Pruning shrub roses
• Pruning standard roses
• Pruning climbing roses
• Ground-covering roses

How to prune roses 

All rose types are pruned in the same way, regardless of their size. They are mainly cut back hard because spores of diseases such as black spot overwinter on the branches. If they are vigorously cut back and the prunings are carefully removed, the risk of disease is greatly reduced.
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When to prune roses 

It is an old gardener’s rule that bush roses should be pruned between 1 March and 1 April. That is linked to traditional weather patterns and the development of the roses. In March they grow considerably and in order to avoid the plants spending a lot of energy on developing new shoots which will be removed later, they are traditionally pruned in March.

That does not happen earlier because night frosts can freeze the pruned branches, which would make then even shorter. Because the climate is changing and the plants have been growing earlier in recent years, bush roses could be pruned as early as February.
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Pruning bush roses 

Pruning starts by cutting off all weak or weedy branches off at ground level. They do not produce good flowers, and can therefore be disposed of. You then remove branches which are rubbing against other branches and you ensure that the heart of the bush is opened up by pruning off an excess of branches. The remaining branches are cut back to ten to fifteen centimetres above the ground.

Spray roses are generally left a bit longer than large-flowered roses. Do not leave more than four or five branches. You will get the best result if you prune them just above an outward-pointing bud (known as an eye). An outward-pointing new shoot will then grow from there, so that the bush has an open shape through which the wind can blow easily. That is best for healthy growth.
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Pruning miniature roses 

Do this in the same way as with ‘ordinary’ bush roses, but prune these dwarf forms to a height of five to seven centimetres. They will then grow vigorously and flower profusely.
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Pruning shrub roses 

The shrub roses group includes all the true rose species and the roses which are closely related to them, the so-called historical and botanical roses. These are therefore the roses which have retained many characteristics of the wild species. They generally flower profusely, but the flowers are smaller than on the bush roses. Smaller even than on the spray roses amongst the bush roses. They are also pruned slightly differently than the far more cultivated bush roses.

With most shrub roses it is not a big problem if you don’t prune them for a couple of years. They will just expand a bit more vigorously and the branches will become woodier. It usually does not affect the flowering. Look carefully at the character of the rose and then decide whether and how much you want to prune. The longer you leave the branches, the taller the bush will become.

In any case prune off all the dead wood and branches which are growing in the wrong direction. If you remove a couple of the older branches every year, you will be constantly rejuvenating the bush.

If you do not prune, the bush will achieve its best natural shape, but there will also be a lot of dead wood. If heavier pruning is required, you should still prune a lot less than with the bush roses. Prune according to the size and scale that you want to achieve.

Heavy pruning always leads to strong growth, but if the plant can grow from a higher point, the final height in the same year will always be higher. Just as with bush roses, it is important that enough air can circulate through the plant, so do as much ‘open’ pruning as possible.

Flowering shrub roses can be pruned after flowering if necessary, if you’re willing to forgo the hips which may still be formed. If you do want the hips - and in all other cases - you should prune in the spring.

Roses which form dense stands such as the Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa) are best thinned out a bit every year in order to ensure constant rejuvenation. The plants will then become less woody and stay better-looking. This is particularly advisable if the plants are grown as a hedge.
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Pruning standard roses 

Standard roses are bush roses or strong rambling roses on an extended rootstock. The structure of such roses is as follows: the rootstock from a strong wild rose as is also used for bush roses, onto which a trunk has been grafted, and on top of that a cultivated rose. Such a rose therefore has two thickened graft or budding points: one above the roots under the soil and one just under or at the join of the branches.

Suckers can develop from both the roots and the trunk. Remove them if you see them. Otherwise the pruning of standard roses with upward-pointing branches is the same as with bush roses (so prune them short). With weeping roses you can prune the branches as required, for example to twenty to thirty centimetres above the ground in order to retain the attractive shape.
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Pruning climbing roses 

Most climbing roses flower recurrently. Prune them in the autumn after flowering. Climbing roses are somewhat more rigid that the wider-growing ramblers and they generally produce fewer branches. Do not prune too heavily - first remove dead wood and damaged branches. Branches trained horizontally produce more flower buds, so allow them to fan out as much as possible.

Prune shoots which have finished flowering back to two-thirds of their length. Remove any old branches which produce fewer flowers. Ramblers have flexible branches. They should also be tied in a fan shape, and prune off some of the older branches at the base. Side shoots should also be cut back to two-thirds of their length. You can leave ramblers that are growing in trees and shrubs to get on with it.
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Ground-covering roses 

These look a lot like ramblers that creep across the ground. Prune them after flowering. Cut back shoots that are too long and remove a few of the oldest branches every year. That encourages the formation of new shoots.
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