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 Roses
are very heavy feeders, so you should feed them as soon as the new growth
appears, and then again after the first heavy bloom using a 5-10-5 fertilizer
or commercial rose food. The how and when of pruning roses is pretty
much determined by the type of rose that you are dealing with. Sucker
growth (stems which originate from below the budding union) should always
be removed at their point of origin no matter which type of rose. Pruning
cuts should always be made 1/4 to 1/2 inch above an outward facing bud.
Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle to prevent moisture from collecting
on the cut, which will cause rot or disease. Always use a clean, sharp
pair of shears. Use rubbing alcohol to clean and disinfect the blade
after cutting any plant material that has any sign of damage. Pruners
will transmit diseases from cut to cut. When you cut a plant you open
it to whatever gets into that cut. I pour the rubbing alcohol directly
on the blade and let it sit for a few seconds, and then I wipe the blade
with a cotton ball soaked in the rubbing alcohol, then onto the next
cuts. Use this same principle when using any form of blades on plant
life. Tree trunks can have infective growths on their surfaces.
 Pruning
Hybrid Tea Roses
Prune hybrid tea roses in early spring when the new growth just begins
to show. Start by removing old, winter damaged or diseased wood, cutting
it back to a healthy point. You will want to create a somewhat cup shaped
plant by removing center stems, and branches pointing inwards. This
will admit more light and fresh air, and help to prevent mildew and
disease. Cut the remaining stems to about 1/2 of their original length,
leaving the stronger stems longer than the younger, thin ones. Hard
pruning will result in fewer long stemmed blooms than light pruning,
but if it necessary you can cut some of the older stems back to within
6 inches of the base.
 Pruning
Floribundas and Grandifloras
Prune this type of rose in early spring. Remove all criss-crossed stems,
and cut the remaining stems at various lengths leaving the center stems
longer than the outer ones to form the desired shaped plant. Pruning
the canes at different lengths will help to insure continuous blooming.
Pruning Ramblers
Ramblers grow a completely new set of blooming canes each year. The
flowers are formed on year old canes, which should be cut back to within
2-3 inches of their base when they are finished blooming. This will
allow the plant to devote its energy into producing the new shoots that
will bear the next years flowers.
Pruning Climbers
Climbing roses resent hard pruning. In early spring, remove any dead
or diseased canes, other than that you should only do light pruning.
Climbers should be trained to grow in a more fan shaped pattern rather
than upward growth. If it becomes necessary, the canes can be shortened
at any time of the year.
Pruning Miniature Roses
Miniature roses need very little pruning. Just prune them to the desired
shape. Cut any new shoots which have emerged from below the soil line
to about 1/2 its length. When the branches finish flowering, cut them
back to a new outward facing bud.
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