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Too soon to Prune Roses?
Leigh Greenslade
Posts: 43
in Plants
Hi,
The usual wisdom to do the final prune of Roses as I understand is to wait until around March when you notice growth.
I did the autumn one to avoid wind rock.
However, my Rose buds are already sprouting. Should I prune now so that they don't waste their energy on something I'm going to chop off. Or still wait until March.
I'm in the SE, Essex. So relatively mild.
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I have pruned my roses, like yours we had new shoots on our bushes. I assume that providing you don't have frosts and none forecast for the next few days at least, then go ahead and prune them - preferably early in the morning. What do other gardeners think?
I only grow climbing roses due to a lack of space. I cut mine back and tied them in during the Autumn. It's cooler here in the midlands so I will wait a while before the final pruning and tying in until the danger of frosts has gone. Hope I am doing the right thing.
I prune them in February if they are starting to sprout. I have one in a pot that has full blown leaves and that will be attacked with the secateurs very soon. When it comes to frost and snow, you may as well toss a coin.
Pruned my shrub roses in Autumn as I like them to look tidy. Pruned climbers this week as it's been so mild and I can't wait forever. There's too much to do by early Spring so it helps to do them sooner if possible. Not sure what your weather is like though Leigh?
Depends where you live Leigh. If you're in the southwest then over the next few weeks is fine, far south as well, but any further north I'd wait till march. There's still the threat of a significant cold spell developing which !may last into spring and even if there are buds a good feed after pruning will give them the boost they need. I've done the climbers but the bush roses need a bit more time. Sorry didn't read your post carefully enough, even in Essex I'd wait, south coast yes but as I said there is still the threat of a cold spell from the east.
Thank you everyone. I'll hold my nerve then and wait a bit longer.
I was going to ask the same question. It was around 16deg today in Bournemouth and my daffs, crocuses, grape hyacinths are all coming out. The roses are all in bud, some with quite a few small leaves. If I wait to prune until frosts aren't likely, that could be May! I was also led to believe that roses are very tough but I suppose they will just produce less flowers if not treated properly?
One more query - one of my neighbours keeps horses on the heath behind my house. When can I put horse manure on the borders? Some has been lying on the heathland for quite some time (maybe the nutrients have washed out with rain?) I have a compost bin but only started filling it with leaves in Autumn and have gradually added veg waste. Should horse manure be added to that?
Last week on Gardeners Question Time Matthew Biggs (I think) said he worked on a garden with 900+ roses. They started pruning them in the Autumn and kept going all through the winter. Otherwise they would never have got through them all in time for spring.
I've pruned already for this year as the roses had started into growth, and I don't want them to waste energy on something I'm going to cut off.
I pruned mine approx. 3 weeks ago, they appear to be hardier than softer wooded plants and there have been no detrimental effects to the roses.