Monthly Tip

Winter is the best time to prune roses even if they haven’t gone completely dormant. The old advice was to cut the canes down drastically, but that isn’t necessary for our climate. Instead, just cut back about one-third to one-half of the total height. In other words, take a 4-foot bush down to about 2–3 feet. When cutting back a cane, make the cut at an angle just above an outward pointing bud. Take out any dead or diseased canes, remove suckers below the graft union, and branches that are crossing or growing towards the middle of the plant to improve airflow. Clean up old leaves on the plant and ground to reduce rust and black spot.

More Information: Rose Care