Pruning rose bushes

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How to Prune Roses and Rose Bushes

Goals of Pruning Roses

We will briefly deal with the object or general principles of pruning.

The object is of a threefold nature. First of all, we prune with the idea of obtaining a good-shaped plant or tree; secondly, we aim thereby at ensuring plenty of finely-developed blooms; and, thirdly, at maintaining the plant or tree in a healthy, vigorous condition by the skilful removal of superfluous growths, or dead or diseased wood. There are some types of roses, as the Boursault, Evergreen, Ayrshire, and Rugosa, for instance, that, if left unpruned, would suffer no grievous harm. On the contrary, there are others, as the Tea, Hybrid Tea, and Hybrid Perpetual, which, if unpruned, or not skilfully pruned, would fail to flower or to grow satisfactorily. Hence in the schedule we have indicated by the terms " hard," " medium," and " little " the amount of pruning required by each variety.

But we must go farther than is conveyed by that brief indication, and point out that two main principles have to be observed in pruning. We have, for example, to consider whether certain kinds are to be grown for yielding a few good blooms for exhibition, or a quantity for cutting or for garden decoration. This, then, will be our aim in the following pages.

When to Prune Roses? Time to Prune

The proper time to prune roses grown against walls or fences, and which consequently are liable to start into growth early, is early in March. Provence, Moss, Evergreen, Boursault, Ayrshire, and Rugosa roses may be pruned from the end of February to the middle of March, according to the season. Hybrid China, Hybrid Sweet Briars, and Alba roses prune early in March. Austrian Briars, Hybrid Bourbon, Noisette, and Musk; Bourbon, China, Noisette, Polyantha, Pompon, Scotch, Wichuraiana, and Hybrid Perpetual sorts prune from the middle to the end of March.

Hybrid Teas, Teas, and Banksian are better pruned the end of March or early in April, according to the season. These are general rules for the guidance of the beginner.

As she gains experience and becomes well acquainted with the climate and soil of her locality, and the state of growth of each variety, she can then exercise her discretion as to whether she should prune a week earlier or later.

The successful rosarian does not work by rote, but by experience and study of the special needs of each variety. A last word on this topic. Do not be led to prune early because new growth is commencing at the points of the shoots. These are the safety valves of the plants. The sap in the ends of the shoots is in a more or less watery condition, and is easily excited into action by the warmth of the early sunshine.

The ripe or mature sap is situate at the base of the shoots, and is not so susceptible to action by heat. Consequently it usually remains dormant till the end of March or April, and with it the buds upon which the rosarian has to rely for the production of strong shoots. It is, therefore, the buds on the lower half of the shoots only that the rosarian has to consider, and, so long as these remain dormant, no heed may be taken of precocious growths at the top, which will at the time of pruning have to be cut away.

Special Points In Pruning Rosarians are divided in opinion as to whether a knife or a pair of secateurs should be used for pruning. Provided a good pair of the latter be available, they are much safer and handier to use than a knife.

A bad or a worn-out pair would, however, do more harm than good ; they would bruise the shoot and render it susceptible to disease or canker. A good knife, however, is indispensable, as there may be occasions when the secateurs cannot be used. Armed with good tools, the next special point to consider is the proper way to use them. In severing a shoot always cut it off close to a bud and in a slightly slanting condition behind it, not half an inch or more behind, and in a tapering form. These long " snags " eventually die, since there are no leaves above to draw sap into their cells, and the result is decay of the tissue and disease. Dead wood, too, should always be cut clean away to healthy tissue, so that new cells and corky tissue can form over the edges of the wound, and afford no rendezvous for spores of fungoid disease. All weak or superfluous growths should for a similar reason be cut clean away to the main stem.

If, after pruning, moisture (sap) should be seen issuing from the wounds, paint the surface at once with " painter's knotting " to seal the wounded cells. Loss of sap means the weakening of future growth.

Right and Wrong Methods of Pruning

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A. Correct way. B. Pruned too far beyond bud, leaving a " snag." C. Cut too long. D. Cut the wrong side of bud. E. Cut too low. F. Bruised or jagged end- a bad error.