QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Help! How do I prune my roses?
Answer:
There are many types of roses, and they all have different pruning styles. For your standard hybrid teas, the kind we grow for cut flowers, we cut those back by about a third and remove any twiggy branches that aren’t really good strong branches. Cut them where there is a bud pointing to the outside of the bush at the top of the cut, so that the branch will grow outwards and spread the bush open a little bit. Remove any broken or dead branches. The shrub type roses we can hedge. We shape them to the form we want. You can even use hedge trimmers if you want to prune those types. The Knock Out rose is one that you can trim this way.
If you have a climbing rose, one of the best ways to prune those is to minimally prune them. Just weave the branches back and forth on the trellis. Try to orient them as much horizontally as you can, since they bloom a lot better that way. So, rather than let the long runners go straight up the trellis, work them horizontally back and forth and then remove some the extra growth.
Roses that just bloom once in the spring (like Ballerina or Lady Banks) shouldn’t be pruned now, since they bloom on old wood. Shape them after they finish blooming to prepare for next year’s flowers. Visit CTG’s rose pruning resources for examples and details.
Mulch, but make a berm: do not pile mulch around the base of the plant.
past Questions
of the Week
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Rose, Carefree Beauty
 This one used to be called Katy Road Pink. It was discovered on Katy Road in north Houston. Now it’s believed to be Carefree Beauty. It is a beautiful semi-double rose that has a large semi-open pink bloom. It’s quite disease resistant. Carefree Beauty is one that can be hedged and very simple to prune. Like all roses, it needs well-drained soil and at least six hours of sun.
past Plants of the Week
PLANTING TIPS OF THE WEEK
- Plant carrots, turnips, radishes
- Continue planting lettuce, spinach, arugula and other greens
- Continue planting broccoli and cabbage
- Mow back winter-worn liriope with the mower or string trimmer
- Cut cast iron plant to the ground for new fresh growth
- Plant fruit trees and berries, all shrubs and trees
more Planting Tips
THIS WEEK'S FEATURES
Max Elliott from YouthLaunch has organic tips for growing the best tomatoes.
Max Elliott’s tomato list:
Big Boy
Better Boy
Early Girl
Celebrity
Dona
Sungold
Roma
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