When to Prune New Dawn Roses?

The Rose

• New Dawn rose is hardy in United States Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 9. The soft pearl-pink blooms are double petal and the canes can climb up to 10 feet with an 8-foot spread. Climbing roses are not true climbers since they have no real means of attaching themselves to supports. They are the result of a cross between several cultivars and develop super tall, thick canes that are capable of supporting the weight of the blooms.

When to Prune New Dawn

• Because New Dawn flowers on the current season's fresh new growth, the timing of the cuts is important. Some people prune in fall when the plant is finished blooming, but the open cuts can develop mildew or damage in wet and freezing temperatures. Very late winter or early spring are the ideal times to prune. Pruning will encourage new growth within weeks. The plant is still in deep dormancy and the open cuts will not pose a danger to the rose plant.

General Pruning

• New Dawn requires the removal of any broken, diseased or dead wood annually. Cut them back to 1/4 inch before a healthy bud. Pruning a climbing rose must also be combined with tying in and training. The horizontal growth flowers the most vigorously and should be saved and tied onto the support. Climbing roses need much less pruning than other types of roses. They do need to have the primary flowering laterals cut back to just three or four healthy buds. This will promote branching and more new wood.

Rejuvenation Pruning

• New Dawn will get old and produce heavy hardwood canes over the years. These canes will not produce blooms and are not necessary to the structure of the rose if you retain enough other strong canes. As a general rule you can remove up to one-third of the wood at any one time. In late winter prune out the oldest canes down to within 6 to 8 inches of the ground, but make sure you will be leaving enough newer canes for support. Always make your cut just above a healthy bud.