- Winter is the ideal time to prune roses. If you are in a frosty area, wait until after the final frost.
- Remove all dead, diseased and crossing branches
- Remove any weak branches within the centre of the bush
- Branches should be removed as close to the base as possible
- Branches that cross or touch should also be removed as the rubbing can damage branches and leave them prone to disease and infection
- Remove dead wood and crossing branches
- Reduce by one-third in every direction. Work top-down with floribundas
- Cut between the third and fifth nodes above the point where the branch joins onto the stem below.
- Cut just above the node. If you cut too high and not above the node, the stem will die. If this happens, simply cut the dead wood off, back to the just above the node.
- Remove dead wood and crossing branches
- Remove any old wood - wood that is usually 4 or more years old. You can identify old wood by the dark bark on the stem. Remove this old wood right down at the base of the plant
- Work bottom-up with hybrid tea roses. Starting from the base of the plant, count 10 nodes or buds upwards and cut just above the node. Do this all the way around the plant
- These are roses that were bred over 80 years ago.
- They require little, if any, pruning. Just remove dead wood and crossing branches. This only needs to be done every 3 or so years.