From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
If you start to discuss pruning rose bushes with another gardener, it's not long before you realise everybody's an expert! The problem with said 'experts' is they all hold conflicting views over what is, and isn't, the correct way to prune them.
Some will espouse the "rip-open-the-chainsaw" method while others discuss in intricate detail the precise angle needed to make the cut. A few will advise the use of sealing gels to protect the bushes from infection and yet there are advocates for leaving the rose bush to heal itself. Surely with all these contradicting views someone must be right - and possibly some will be wrong. Or, does it not matter? Can these very different opinions all be right?
Perhaps.
Initially we need to ask ourselves why we want to prune our roses. Shape? To encourage more blooms? Maintenance? There are a variety of reasons and each may have its own requirements.
You may have come across rose bushes in other gardens - certainly not our own - that take on a stick growing habit rather than displaying a nice shrub. At the end of the 'stick' sits one single bloom that looks more like a pom-pom on a cheerleader's hyper-extended arm than a prize-winning plant.
In this case, taking some time to find a few buds that could be encouraged for next year is worth the effort. If you were to just lop the main branch off you could find that growth only comes from that region of the plant next season.
For other bushes they may have become too ramshackle for your garden and just need a quick 'Short-Back-and-Sides' that is best done with a pair of hedging shears. If you feel inclined, the chainsaw may also be the right option. Provided that you prune the canes back evenly, your mature rose bush will relish this once-over.
Another reason why gardeners prune their rose bushes is to hopefully increase blooms for the next season. I've not seen any scientific proof that pruning achieves this unless, of course, the rose bush has been left to its own devices and sports a grand supply of rose-hips. Hence, it needs some serious TLC.
Increasing the number of blooms on your rose bushes has more to do with the variety of rose, fertilising, water control, climate and soil preparation than it does with how you trim the plant. However, the more growing canes available on the bush the more likely they are to be covered with rose blooms. So, pruning a rose bush to take advantage of the number of growing canes will be advantageous.
If your growing region is similar to mine then Blackspot, Marssonina rosae, may be a common problem. Mid-way through the summer months the leaves start spotting with a black-coloured fungus which becomes unsightly and begins infesting the remainder of the bush.
While many gardening experts and chemical companies will advise applications of lime sulphurs there are measures that you can take, just by pruning, to keep this disease at bay.
First, when pruning make sure that the buds you prune down to are all outward facing. This allows for more air movement within the rose bush and will allow the plant to dry quicker after watering or seasonal rains. This will slow the fungus from taking hold and will slow its spread throughout your bush.
Next, if your rose bush does contract the disease then prune away any leaves showing the symptoms. These should be discarded or burnt - don't put them in your compost heap. Once your bush shows signs of blackspot there is no chemical that can rid the plant of this blight. The best defense is prevention and this is best done when the plant requires pruning.
Most gardeners hold the view that an annual prune for rose bushes is a good thing. This is best performed while the bush is in it's dormant stage towards the end of winter. After a prune or deadhead, the next flourish of blooms will take between 6 -8 weeks to appear so you can almost time it if you have a party or open garden coming up in spring.
Deadheading your roses after the blooms have been spent is also a good practice, especially if you want more blooms. For some gardeners the allure of rose hips is too strong and so they leave their spent flowers to continue producing. But for most of us, we love to have flourish after flourish after flourish.
Therefore, if you're deadheading your rose bushes take the opportunity to prune it back a little for shape otherwise you will have blooms at the end of long, leafless canes by the end of summer.
Is there a right or wrong way to pruning rose bushes? IMHO - I think that most gardeners who purport the genius behind rose pruning practices are possibly a little too anal-retentive and discourage many beginner gardeners from enjoying these wonderful plants.
Roses aren't that hard to prune and they are very forgiving if you make a mistake. Trial and error is usually the best teacher and providing you don't kill your rose bush you should be able to get the best out of it without taking up the Bachelor Degree module.
