Pruning Bush Roses
- When you are finished pruning, there should be four to seven canes (stems) one and one-half to two and one-half feet tall arranged in a circle.
- Cut out dead canes back to bud union (knob).
- Cut out crossing branches back to a main stem.
- When there is a new cane and a new cane near each other, remove the old cane.
- Cut off one-half to two-thirds of last season's growth on the remaining canes.
- Always try to cut to an outside bud at a 45° angle, about one-quarter inch above the bud.
- Seal all cuts more than one-quarter inch in diameter, spray the plant with a "dormant spray", clean up and remove all fallen leaves and other debris.
- Fertilize bushes by mid to end of February.
Last update: 07/14/2022