Pruning roses in spring: timing, rules and diagrams

The long-awaited spring has arrived. This means there is a lot of work ahead to improve the garden. The most important stage of this work is pruning everyone’s favorite roses. In order for a beautiful plant to delight all summer with its beauty, fragrance and elegant appearance, it is necessary to carry out spring pruning of roses according to all the rules.

Why do you need a spring procedure?

Caring for the main beauty of the garden begins in early spring, that is, before the growing season. One of the main and important elements of spring care is pruning. The procedure is complex and important, so it must be approached responsibly.

Spring pruning of garden roses helps achieve the following positive aspects:

thanks to the procedure, it is convenient to form the desired shape of the bush since the plant has not yet woken up;
the spring procedure helps eliminate frozen, old, diseased and damaged shoots;
after gardening manipulation, the growing season begins more actively for the shrub;
the procedure helps the plant rejuvenate after winter;
Subsequently, active formation of flower buds occurs, and the flowering of the plant in summer becomes longer.

When to prune roses in spring, in what month

It is important not only “how” you will do this procedure, but also “when”. Therefore, many novice flower growers are at a loss when faced with the question of when exactly to prune roses in the spring. Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that the night frosts have gone away and will not return, otherwise the impact of sudden frost will negatively affect the plant after the procedure. It is also important to start the event before the sap begins to flow. If you prune after the sap begins to flow, then perhaps the roses will bloom very sluggishly.

The timing of pruning in the spring may be different every year, because warming may occur at different periods. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to focus on the weather and the bush itself. The ideal time for the spring procedure is when warm weather has finally settled, the buds of the plant are swelling, but the shoots have not yet begun to grow. Typically this period occurs in March-April.

Note! The ideal day for the procedure is a warm, dry, sunny day.

In addition, regional characteristics of growth should be taken into account. For example, in dark regions with a temperate climate, it is optimal to prune in March or early April (Middle zone, south). And in the northern regions (Ural, Siberia) it is better to postpone the procedure until the end of May. After all, the soil in such areas warms up slowly and there is a risk that frost will suddenly return.

Circumcision tools

Before pruning a bush rose for the winter, you need to prepare the basic tools. In particular, you will need:

rake;
sharp pruning shears;
garden saw or hacksaw;
scissors.

Before pruning the crop, all tools must first be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate or medical alcohol. Through dirty blades, infections and pathogens of dangerous fungi often enter plant tissue. Another disinfection method involves calcining metal tools over a fire. High temperatures reliably kill any bacteria.

Attention! In addition to the tools, for pruning you will need to take garden varnish, Bordeaux mixture and thick gloves.

Types of Rose Pruning

Pruning roses after winter can serve different purposes. Let's figure out what types of procedures are and why they are necessary. The following types of this procedure are distinguished:

Anti-aging pruning - the purpose of the procedure is to free up and clear space for the growth of shoots. To do this, old shoots are partially eliminated and the remaining branches are cut to 20 centimeters in height. The procedure, carried out in the spring, is intended for plants that are older than three years.
Preventative - the purpose of the procedure is to shorten frozen and diseased shoots to the base, and remove damaged branches to the height of a healthy bud. It is also recommended to eliminate weakened shoots.
Thinning - during manipulation, old, weak branches are eliminated, side shoots that grow into the center of the bush are eliminated, and wild shoots are also eliminated. Branches that did not bloom that year are pruned to a swollen bud. The procedure is recommended to be carried out in the spring.

Rules and diagrams for spring pruning roses

Some people are afraid to prune roses in the spring, fearing that they could harm the beauty through an incorrect procedure. Such experiences are especially common for beginning flower growers and gardeners. This is partly true, because this beautiful flower is capricious and requires special treatment. However, if you follow all the recommendations of experienced gardeners, you can brilliantly complete a spring gardening event that will benefit the plant and make its flowering even more beautiful.

The following are recommendations for pruning roses at home in spring:

Before the procedure, prepare the necessary equipment in advance. Pruning garden roses should only be done with sharp pruning shears, which can be used to achieve a perfectly smooth cut. Otherwise, torn cuts, damage to the bark, and cracks may occur. And damage is dangerous due to fungal infections, which can significantly weaken the plant or even lead to death.

By the way! To trim thin branches, you can use pruning shears, and for dense and thick branches, you can use a hacksaw.

Instruments must be disinfected before the procedure. For example, for this you can use a dark solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). The procedure is very important and should be mandatory.
Before carrying out the spring procedure, it is necessary to remove the winter shelter from garden roses, restore order in the area where the flowers grow, and assess the general condition of the plant.
With the onset of dry and warm weather, you can get down to business. After carefully examining the bush, begin removing all frozen, diseased and old branches. Diseased branches are cut back to the healthy part, which has a white core and a green trunk. It is also worth cutting out the side shoots that are directed inside the bush. This will help to thin out the bush efficiently and give it a neat shape.
The cuts must be made slightly above a healthy bud (about five to seven millimeters), which is directed from the middle of the bush.
The cut must also be made obliquely, that is, at an angle of 45 degrees, at a distance of about one centimeter above the bud, which is directed outward. Also, the bud should not be sprouted.

An inclined cut will allow moisture (for example, irrigation water, raindrops) not to linger in a place that has already experienced stress due to the procedure. That is, the slope will eliminate possible rotting.

The picture below shows a diagram of the correct pruning of roses:

On mature bushes, several healthy side branches are left with two or three buds on each of them. And annual shoots retain up to five buds.

Note! If the shoots are strong, then three to five buds remain on them, and if they are weakened, then one bud is left on them.

After the spring care procedure, it is necessary to treat all cuts on the roses with garden varnish. You should also treat the bush with a solution of copper sulfate for prevention. For one hundred grams of copper sulfate there should be ten liters of water.
It is very important to perform spring, summer, and autumn pruning when caring for roses at home. It is very important that there is no rain when performing the manipulation.

Tips from experienced gardeners

In order for cut roses to remain fresh for a long time in a bouquet, you must adhere to certain rules

Some professional tips for cutting roses in summer:

The stem is cut at the base above a living bud turned outward. In this case, 2–3 internodes are left on the stump. Then we can hope for re-blooming this season.
Do not cut flowers from one-year-old bushes, as well as from underdeveloped and disease-affected plants.

A rose bush will remain in bloom for a long time if you remove only the withered buds in a timely manner without touching the others. Roses planted last season require a special approach. They are not allowed to fully bloom for the first time - the buds that have not yet opened are immediately removed, leaving no more than 2-3 pieces. In this case, flowering shoots should alternate with empty ones. Only then will the plant evenly receive nutrients, which is important for the proper development of the bush.

Instructions for pruning different varieties of roses

Pruning the plant promotes normal growth, development and flowering, it helps give the bush a neat and beautiful shape. But it is important to take into account the characteristics of a particular variety when carrying out the procedure. After all, there are many varieties of queen flowers, therefore, the pruning technique is somewhat different.

Shrub roses

Shrub roses are not recommended to be over-pruned. The main thing is to use garden manipulation to create a neat and beautiful shape of the bush. Experienced flower growers and summer residents advise beginners to prune the plant in such a way that the result is a dome-shaped shrub with a hollow center. This form improves moisture permeability and provides greater protection against rotting.

Scheme for pruning bush roses in spring:

After removing the winter shelter, dry, frozen and diseased shoots are removed.
To create a neat small bush, young main shoots are cut off at the top 1 healthy bud.
To create an abundant lush crown, you need to trim the stem along with the first upper bud. This action helps to awaken the next buds and give additional volume to the bush.
It is necessary to shorten all branches that are directed to the center of the bush to avoid unwanted interweaving of shoots and a sloppy appearance of the bush.
All branches interfering with each other are cut out. But in this case, of 2 such shoots, it is necessary to leave the youngest branch (it will have a lighter bark) with the optimal location.

A mature bush should consist of three to five strong branches, pruned to 3-4 buds.

Climbing or climbing roses

This variety is very different from its beautiful relatives. A characteristic feature of this weaving species are thin and curly branches that intertwine with each other and other nearby objects. It is because of this feature that curly beauties need support. Because of these features, it is important to trim the plant very carefully, following certain recommendations.

The main purpose of pruning climbing roses in the spring is to form a bush . But before the procedure, you can examine the bush and visually assess the density. If you think that the density of the branches is optimal, then it is not necessary to carry out the procedure. If, however, the climbing rose bush has grown wildly and strongly, then in order to maintain a beautiful and graceful appearance, it is necessary to carry out spring pruning. Otherwise, the climbing bush will have poor ventilation, the likelihood of infection with powdery mildew will increase, and the bush will bloom sluggishly and flowering will occur later than usual.

So if you ignore this gardening event when growing climbing roses, then most likely in two or three years you will have great difficulty getting close to the wildly growing flowers, not to mention covering the shrub in the fall before the cold weather.

Proper pruning of a climbing rose in the spring helps not only to maintain a beautiful and tidy appearance of the climbing bush, but also makes it much easier for the gardener to care for this plant.

So, after removing the winter shelter, you should carry out sanitary pruning of the climbing rose in the spring, then carefully thin it out and remove the branches that thicken the bush. In this case, it is necessary to form the bush in such a way that the shoots grow in a horizontal direction.

Proper pruning of climbing roses in spring should be done as follows:

As mentioned above, with the onset of warm days and favorable times, the covering material is removed. After this, preventive pruning of the climbing bush is carried out, during which dead and diseased shoots are eliminated.
Then you can move on to spring pruning of climbing roses to form a bush. The main shoots are shortened to the first healthy bud, and excessively long branches can be shortened to create an attractive shrub shape. It is recommended to trim the side branches, leaving the lower part with two or three buds.
It is recommended to trim the shoots that grow on the inside of the main branches in order to form a beautiful bush.

Note! It is advisable to start organizing gardening activities from the age of 2.

Floribunda

Floribunda roses are very popular among flower lovers. And this is not surprising, because they are characterized by long-lasting flowering, a pleasant aroma, beautiful colors and ease of care. Even the most boring yard or summer cottage will be dramatically transformed with the help of these beautiful flowers. By the way, many people even use this species to create hedges.

The main goal of the gardening event is bush rejuvenation .
It is necessary to remove damaged, dry, diseased branches. For floribunda, a combined approach should be used - some shoots are severely pruned, others moderately. This optimal approach allows for abundant growth and long flowering. First of all, you should eliminate the branches that are directed inside the bush. Last year's shoots are left at two-thirds of their length, and branches on the main branches are cut off to three buds. And old shoots need to be pruned heavily.

Note! Excessive pruning can result in the garden plant not blooming for a long time.

Hybrid tea roses

When pruning hybrid tea roses in the spring, up to five last year's stems are left. This is due to the fact that it is impossible to predict the number of young shoots in the new season. The stronger and more powerful the shoot, the greater the number of buds that should remain on it.

When planting, young rose bushes are shortened in height to 15 centimeters and two to four buds are left on the shoots. Adult bushes are pruned to 20-25 centimeters so that there are five to six buds on the shoots.

Note! Roses of this species bloom on the shoots of the current season, so you can safely prune shoots that are more than 2 years old and shorten young branches, as this will help stimulate flowering.

Curb

Border roses are cute small bushes that have an approximate height of no more than 60 centimeters. This species is a real find for landscape designers and amateur flower growers, who can use these wonderful plants to bring to life various interesting ideas for landscaping the garden.

Spring pruning plays an important role in the beauty of border roses. In adult plants, the side shoots are slightly pruned, but the central branches that grow in the vertical direction, on the contrary, are not pruned.

By the way! It is recommended to pinch out all shoots above the fourth and fifth leaves in 1 year in late spring and summer and promptly remove faded roses. Such actions help border bushes to grow in harmonious, beautiful and correct proportions.

Ground cover

Unlike some other species, ground cover roses do not require formative pruning, but it is necessary to carry out light sanitary and thinning in the spring. During this process, shoots growing in a vertical direction are cut off. Old branches that have remained in good condition after winter and have green bark are not touched.

Important! It is necessary to carry out heavy pruning of ground cover roses approximately once every five years - the side shoots are shortened to two to four buds. Thanks to this, the old bush continues to bloom.

Indoor rose

An indoor rose (Cordana) can become the most interesting and beautiful decoration for a home or apartment. But in order for the flower to delight with its lush color, it is necessary not only to give full care, but also to properly trim the home beauty. Flower growers with many years of experience advise carrying out the procedure in the autumn. If for some reason you were unable to hold the event in the appropriate season, then you should carry out the procedure in the spring.

It is recommended to prune your home rose Cordana according to the following rules:

choose a time favorable for the procedure - March or April, when the buds of the home beauty have not yet bloomed;
last year's shoots must be pruned in such a way that three or four developed buds remain on them;
when pruning a home rose, form the shape that you like, and at the same time eliminate all damaged, dry, weak shoots, as well as those that grow in the center of the bush;
If a bush in a pot does not please you with its lush color, then rejuvenate it through severe pruning.

Pruning other types of roses

It is also worth paying attention to how the procedure is carried out for other types of these beautiful flowers. Let's understand the features and nuances.

sanitary pruning of Canadian roses in early spring before buds open - it is necessary to completely eliminate dried, frozen and damaged shoots.

Pruning standard roses is carried out by eliminating all weak, dry shoots and those that grow inside the bush. The procedure should be weak, otherwise if too much pruning is unsuccessful, the shoot may not recover, and the appearance of standard roses will lose some of its beauty.

Pruning park roses is necessary to improve flowering and increase the volume of buds in the future; it is recommended to begin the procedure in early spring. All diseased, damaged shoots should be removed; shoots that grow below the grafting site, and those that grow in the very center of the bush or those that rub against each other must be trimmed. Long and loose shoots should be shortened to a height of 70-90 centimeters. It is recommended to cut the stems above the red buds, and dry plant tissue to healthy tissue.

Note! During the procedure, it is necessary to make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees and five millimeters above the healthy kidney.

Video: features of pruning park roses in spring.

Pruning English roses - when carrying out the procedure in the spring, you should focus on the form in which you grow these flowers. If you want a spreading plant, then scrub-class pruning should be done lightly; only the frozen ends of branches and thin shoots should be trimmed. If your goal is to make a compact bush, then you should shorten two-thirds of the height. When creating borders, Austin roses should be pruned in the spring to the same height (about 60 centimeters).

Caring for roses after the procedure

Pruning roses in spring can be a real challenge for the plant. Therefore, it is worth striving to rid the plant of unnecessary and unwanted stress. To calm the plant and prevent negative consequences, it is necessary to provide the following care for roses in the spring:

After pruning in spring, roses especially need regular watering. You should water the flowers in sufficient quantities once a week, and after watering you need to loosen the soil.
A week after the manipulation, it is recommended to treat the flower garden against unwanted diseases and pests.
After the gardening event, the soil should be mulched. It is recommended to use humus and peat as mulching material. Mulching has a beneficial effect on the soil and reduces the amount of watering.

Interesting fact! Properly selected mulching material improves soil aeration and helps retain useful and necessary components in it.

As care, before the leaves of the plant awaken, you can fertilize it with complex or ammonia fertilizer.
It is recommended to aerate the soil and sprinkle it with copper sulfate for preventive purposes.

It's no secret that the rose is a capricious and demanding plant that needs careful and regular care. However, at the same time, this flower is infinitely beautiful, sophisticated, and noble. He is able to please and inspire almost any person. Therefore, all the energy that you spend on such activities to care for the plant will be returned to you with interest in the form of a beautiful flower garden and a good mood.

Security measures

When pruning a bush rose before winter, certain safety precautions must be observed:

carry out all work wearing thick gloves so as not to injure your hands with sharp thorns;
prune the crop on a dry day without precipitation, since with high humidity, damage to the stems heals worse;
immediately after the procedure, treat the cuts with wood ash, brilliant green or garden varnish - in this case, infections and viruses will not penetrate into the plant tissue.

A week after cutting, it is also recommended to perform a preventive spraying of the crop with copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture. A plant that has been pruned is especially vulnerable to pests and fungi, and the likelihood of infection should be minimized.