A. Whoever said "A rose is a rose is a rose" evidently didn't have a very large rose garden. There are many categories of plants and many varieties in each category.
Basically, pruning is removing dead, diseased or weak canes and canes that cross each other in the center of the plant and prevent proper ventilation. Pruning improves the esthetic beauty and health of the plant and stimulates growth that will produce abundant flowers.
Pruning cuts are slanted toward the outside of the plant just above a bud that is beginning to swell. If you are pruning grafted plants you need to remove any suckers that grow out of the original stock below the graft.
Tools and supplies needed:
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Sharp pruning shears that make a clean cut. Dull shears will cause wood to splinter. |
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Long handled lopppers are good for larger woodier branches. |
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Long bladed hedge clippers to shape and dead-head antique climbers and ramblers. |
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Jar containing a mixture of one part Clorox or alcohol to ten parts water to sterilize shears between each cut. This helps reduce the chances of insects or disease entering the wound. |
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Garden rake to remove parings from under healthy plants. |
Techniques used for specific roses
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Hybrid Teas need to be cut back to 18 to 24 inches in last Winter. Remove all dead diseased branches that get crowded in the center of the plant. Dead-heading also helps Hybrid Teas. Make a slanting cut below the fading flowers and just above a bud on the outside of the plant. |
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Grandiflora and Floribundas need basically the same pruning techniques as Hybrid Teas. They do not need to be reduced in height in late Winter. |
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Climbing Roses with large flowers bloom on canes that are two years old or older. Some climbers flower only in June, but others bloom almost continuously. The ever blooming ones to make room for the new growth. Shorten the side shoots several inches after blooming. The remaining canes should be supported by a trellis, wall or fence. |
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Rambler roses are similar to climbers. Theses should be pruned right after blooming. |
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Antique Roses. Plants that bloom once a year need to be pruned after flowering and ones that re-bloom are pruned in January through Mid February. Dead-heading during the flowering season will encourage more blooms. |
This all seems a rather daunting task to me, but I'm sure that after a few successes anyone can master the technique. Just remember - "A Rose is a Rose…"