When to Prune Raspberries and Roses

Roses

• Prune roses in late winter before new leaves emerge to remove dead and diseased canes and branches that rub against each other. During the summer, prune roses to remove dead or diseased wood, but avoid pruning after midsummer, if possible, so the plant hardens off for winter. After the first heavy frost, cut tall roses back by 1/3 to avoid winter injury and wind damage.

Summer-Bearing Raspberries

• Prune summer-bearing raspberries in late winter to remove dead wood, and thin the plants so canes stand 6 to 7 inches apart. After the harvest, cut the canes that bore fruit back to ground level. Leave the emerging canes to grow, because these canes will produce fruit the following summer.

Everbearing Raspberries

• Everbearing raspberries produce fruit on both 1-year-old canes (floricanes) and new canes (primocanes). Prune them as you would summer-bearing raspberries -- or, for an easier approach, simply mow the entire patch down in the fall after harvest. By doing this, you'll forfeit an early summer harvest, but the fall harvest will be bigger. Everbearing raspberries grow well in areas with late spring frosts that kill floricane buds and canes, because the plants produce fruit on new wood.

Considerations

• When pruning roses, always cut back to 1/4 inch above an outward-facing bud, identified by a small triangle where a new branch or leaf will grow. Make a cut slanted at a 45-degree angle, so water runs off the cut, reducing the chance of disease. Avoid nicking the plant during pruning. Disinfect pruning tools in a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 9 parts water if raspberries or roses are diseased.