THIS WEEK'S TIP FROM GARDEN GURU SUE BOTH

Riveting Roses!

Riveting Roses

The purpose of pruning roses is to improve the health of the plant and control its shape.

The best time to prune roses is from middle July to Middle August. Pruning has two key benefits: it keeps your plants healthy and improves their overall appearance. While pruning can be an intimidating task, keep in mind that it’s very hard to kill a rose bush with poor technique and most mistakes (no matter how bad) will eventually grow back. Also, most experts agree that a good attempt at pruning is often better than no attempt at all.

Follow the 3 easy steps below to take the thorn out of the flesh of rose pruning:

  • Remove all the old wood at the base of the plant leaving only 3 healthy new shoots.
  • The 3 shoots that are left on the plant must be in the shape of a basket forming a tri-angle if viewed from the top.
  • Now cut the 3 shoots that are left about 30cm above the ground, just above a node at a 45-degree angle.

Regardless of the type of rose plant you prune, try and make sure that the growth buds on the remaining stems are all facing out. While this may take a few years to achieve, it will keep branches growing away from the center of the plant. 

Join us this week Friday for our FREE online workshop on Rose Pruning, with Garden Guru Sue Both. This week’s prize will be sponsored by Lasher.

Please use the following login details to join us at 11am sharp over Zoom:

Meeting ID: 819 8331 3811  |  Passcode: 091740 or use the following direct link: https://bit.ly/3vKVM27