EFECTIVE ROSE PRUNING FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Why Prune Roses?
Our garden roses evolved to require a period of winter dormancy. Here in the warmer costal region and inland valleys of Southern California we do not receive enough hours of cold to force our roses into dormancy naturally. So it is necessary to prune our roses and strip off any remaining foliage to encourage these shrubs to take a short winter nap. At the same time this pruning allows gardeners to take a look at how their roses have grown over the season and make some judicious cuts to help shape and direct new growth so that the shrubs fit into our gardens. In essence we are making them better garden citizens.

When to Prune?
In the milder regions of Southern California, the warm coastal zones and the mild inland valleys, roses are best pruned between the first part of January through February. Starting earlier may subject tender new growth to early frosts and the roses can suffer. Pruning should be finished by mid- to late-February.  Once the soil begins to warm up to around 50° the bushes will begin to sprout new growth and should be in full flower by mid-April.

How much to prune?
Lightly pruning your California roses encourages maximum rose growth and allows you to control the shape. Rose trees tend to have a mind of their own.

Cut off the branches and stems of your rose trees at about half their height. If the rose tree stands 6 feet, cut it to 3 feet. Rose trees will grow back quickly.

Remove all dead or ill-looking stems and branches from your roses. Remove any branches that cross over into other branches. The goal is to keep the branches from touching each other.

Remove a branch older than three years for every new branch produced. This keeps your roses young and thriving.

What tools will I need?
First invest in a good pair of pruners.  Bypass Pruners are a good choice. Avoid bar and anvil types as they will crush delicate stems causing future problems. You will need gloves and garden appropriate shoes to protect your hands and feet from rose prickles. A handsaw and or a pair of loppers will allow you to make larger cuts than you can efficiently with your hand pruners. A small sharpening stone to keep your pruners sharp and a small hand rake will come in handy.

Pruning Bush Roses

Think of your final product as looking like an open vase, with the canes radiating out in an open pattern with little growth left in the middle of the bush. Begin pruning by removing any dead or diseased canes or branches. Next remove any branches that cross through the center of the bush or rub up against another. Rubbing can cause wounds that can spread disease and eventually kill the bush. It is a good idea to remove one old cane, any cane three years or older, for each new cane produced by the bush. This helps rejuvenate the shrub and maximize flower production. Next shorten back all remaining growth to approximately one-third to one-half of what remains. Cuts should be made just above an outward facing bud eye to direct new growth away from the center of the bush. Bud eyes can be found just above a leaf joint with the stem and is the only point where new growth and flowers are produced. Finally remove any remaining leaves. This helps the bush to go completely dormant and also helps limit the spread of disease.

Finally clean up any debris remaining in the garden buy raking out any remaining leaves and flower petals. Many gardeners then choose to use a dormant spray after finishing. We recommend Lilly Miller Polysul Summer & Dormant spray combined with Lilly Miller Superior Type Spray oil. Fertilizing roses should wait until the new growth is at least three inches, which should happen around mid- to late-March.

Guidelines for Effective Rose Pruning

  1. Prune no more than one-third to one-half of growth.
  2. Remove all dead and diseased growth.
  3. Prune to outward facing bud eyes.
  4. Remove any canes that cross through the center or rub against other canes.
  5. Remove one old cane for each new cane produced.
  6. Remove all remaining foliage.
  7. Clean up any remaining debris from the garden.
  8. Seal open cuts if needed.
  9. Apply a dormant spray as directed. Such as Lilly Miller Polysul Summer & Dormant Spray combined with Lilly Miller Superior Type Spray Oil
  10. Hold off fertilizing the rose garden until new growth is around three inches long. This usually occurs around mid- to late-March in our Southern California region.