Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Pruning Roses

sjwhite61sjwhite61 Posts: 1
in Problem solving
I'm having some maintenance done on my home which will require a number of roses to be cut back in the next month. Most of them are small shrub roses, but one of them is quite old and over over 8ft tall at the moment, and I'll need to cut it back to about 2ft. Is this likely to kill the rose? I don't want to loose it as it is a prolific grower, and produces lots of flowers throughout the year, but the maintenance on the house has to be done.

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Try taking cuttings of your roses before they get pruned back so you have back up.  Have a read of this info from the RHS - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/roses/growing-guide   Scroll down to Propagating.

    When you do have to prune your roses, cut the stems back to an outward facing bud if possible and then, if it's been dry, make sure they have a good, deep drink of about 15 litres poured slowly so it soaks in and then give them all a good mulch to protect the roots and conserve moisture.

    You don't say what the work is that needs doing but consider covering the roses with some horticultrual fleece or fine netting to protect them from any chemicals/paint/other products being used and that may damage the stems and foliage.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
Sign In or Register to comment.