When to Trim Rose Shrubs

Considerations

• Prune your rosebushes in early spring when the plant starts to leaf out. Roses that bloom only once a year should be pruned after flowering, regardless of location. Trimming rose shrubs in early spring encourages a high yield for the rest of the year and opens up your plant for optimum air circulation. Before prunning rose shrubs, remove dead foliage, fallen debris and weeds by hand from the rose bed. Infected and damaged parts destroy the root system and spread disease to the roots and branches.

Tools

• When pruning rosebushes, use bypass shears. These shears create a clean cut and minimize damage to rose stems and branches. Other cutting tools may create a jagged cut, which leaves branches open to disease and infection. Always cut on the outward-facing bud of crisscrossing branches and at a 45-degree angle. Cutting at an angle encourages upward growth from the plant base. Clean and disinfect shears with 70 percent Isopropyl alcohol before each use. You can find 70 percent Isopropyl alcohol at your local drug store.

Fertilizer

• After cutting back your entire rose shrub 6 to 12 inches, add fertilizer for optimum growth patterns. The best fertilizers for roses contain both time-release nitrogen and soluble nitrogen, also known as a balanced fertilizer. Finish by adding 2 to 4 inches of mulch over the rose bed. Mulch stops rose shrubs from drying out.

Importance of Water

• After trimming, rose shrubs require plenty of water. Your area's natural rainfall level determines how much additional water is needed for your shrubs each week. If you live in an area where there is little to no regular rainfall, provide each rose plant with 4 to 5 gallons of water per week. Otherwise, your area's natural rainfall level should be sufficient. Never allow your rose shrubs to dry out between watering or they may wilt and die.