Early spring is the best time to cut back your roses, especially if they will only get one prune a year. Although there are specifics to pruning different types of roses, here are a few of Sparrow and Brambles’ tips that will get you moving in the right direction:
- Make sure your pruner blades are clean. Rub them down with rubbing alcohol between cuts to not spread disease
- Always prune back dead, damaged, or diseased growth
- Make cuts on a 45 degree angle about ½” above leaf bud
- New shoots will grow in the direction of the leaf bud you cut above. Try to have your buds pointing out, away from the center of the plant, to allow for open growth habit.
- Remove dead flower heads as soon as possible for optimal amount of blooms