PLEASE NOTE: This article is all about pruning roses during the growing season (or, dead heading roses). If you’re interested in reading more about pruning roses during winter/spring, visit this page to find out how to download a free eBook – NOTHING required from your side except to click download 🙂 : How to Prune Roses
If you’d like your Rose Bushes to grow and flower a little more than they are currently, I’m just going to tell you a little thing I learnt about where to prune my roses.
One of the keys to helping roses grow more “bushy” and flower more, is obviously to prune them, but also to prune them just above an “eye”.
In the photo below, the red arrow is pointing to the the eye on the rose stem (that has already been pruned):
And, in the photo below, you’ll see what has sprouted from a pruned rose stem. I’ve circled the place where I cut the rose stem, and I’ve got arrows pointing at the 2 shoots that flowered:
PRO TIP:
Please ensure you’re using a good spray to prevent bugs (aphids, etc.) from taking advantage of your roses. An example is this Bayer Advanced All-In-One Rose and Flower Care (check it out here on Amazon)
I hope this has proved helpful. Let me know if you have any comments or questions…
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Hi
I love your site btw… and I love a herb garden.
I have just started my own so always looking for tips etc
Just wanted to add one of my own… when you prune your roses, cut at an angle towards the bud. The roses last longer and are larger and fuller. Thanks for a great site…I am having a feast on it!
Thanks for the tip Karen.
And I’m really glad you’re enjoying the site… Thanks for subscribing 😀
Just wondering how to find this “eye”. My goal for this year is to get my garden back to beautiful!!!! We live in the UPPER PENINSULA of Michigan (600 mle north od Detroit) so we don’t get “spring” to early. There is still snow on the ground and temps get into the upper 30’s at night. Is now he right time to prune them so I have beautiful roses summer? Thanks for the help.
Hi Jenn
The problem with pruning your roses before spring is that the new shoots that appear are very susceptible to frost. So, the aim of the game is to prune them after the last frost, otherwise the ice may kill off the new shoots (you’ll probably see them turn black).
Of course, if it’s still snowing where you are, that may just be tricky. Perhaps it’s best to wait until the snow stops, or, don’t do a full prune. Your roses need the leaves to help draw up water from the ground, and if you do a full prune which kills off new shoots, your roses may struggle to recover when the warmth eventually hits because you won’t have the leaves you need.
Good luck with your pruning…
hi!
Is there a difference between a rose-bush and a climbing rose? I’m trying since last year spring to get a climbing rose to grow up a trellis. It has grown much in the hight but it’s not bushy, just long and skinny..
Do I also have to cut it down to the ground in spring? Or do I just prune at the eyes?
Thankyou!
Eva
Hello…you commented that in the spring cut the roses to the ground??? First, does that apply to all variety of roses if you live in zone 5? And if cutting to the ground is necessary, then how much growth above the soil line do you leave??
Thank you
I always prune in late February works for me 😊
My last round of full bloom roses lasted until a month ago but the leaves were scarce. I started pruning as per your instructions. How do I a more bushy plant.
I have some potted roses that just refuse to grow into a bigger bush. Where did I go wrong
I would say you’d need to keep your stems trimmed a little more, pruning to encourage more “splits”, getting them to branch out a little more. They MAY be a little smaller than previously, but that shouldn’t be an issue if you fertilised before the growing season started.