Quick Guide to Roses
To those of us who would not consider ourselves as having green fingers, growing roses may seem daunting, as they are known for having specific pruning and nutritional needs - however, this is certainly not the case. Not all roses require the same level of attention and some will almost look after themselves, once established.
When we think of roses, we usually imagine the typical Tudor Rose: a sizeable shrub, with large, sweet smelling flowers. However, with now well over 30,000 varieties of rose worldwide, there literally is a rose to suit every garden.
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Rose Pruning
If you want to get the best out of your rose, you will need to remember to give it a a bit of TLC, to extend its flowering time and maximise the amount of flowers it produces. Here’s what you need to know at a glance and then we’ll go into more detail below.
At a glance
Identify the type of rose - Before pruning it is important to identify the type of rose you are dealing with.
3 Ds - Begin pruning with the removal of all dead, diseased and damaged stems leaving a network of healthy stems to work with.
Cut at a 45-degree angle - Always make cuts at a 45-degree angle facing away from the buds approximately 5mm above the bud.
Goblet shape - Be mindful of the eventual shape of the rose when pruning, in most cases this is an open centred goblet shape. Prune to an outward facing node.
Crossing or rubbing - Prune crossing or rubbing stems to prevent damage and disease.
Deadheading - Deadhead regularly whenever spent flowerheads appear, cut above 2 leaflet stems from main structure.
Annual Pruning
Each year roses will produce new stems, while at the same time, older stems begin to produce less shoots and take on a woody appearance. The aim of annual pruning is to remove woody or dead stems to shape the rose to your liking.
You should also remove any stems that are rubbing or too close together. Rubbing causes wounds which over time can become infect with disease or cause die back
Always make sure that you make a cut of 45 degrees with your secateurs, which will allow water to run off the cut, as opposed to resting (which can cause disease and rotting). Another thing to be mindful of whilst pruning, is the shape that you are aiming to achieve, therefore when cutting 1cm or so above a bud, always try to choose a bud which is facing outwards. This is to ensure that your shrub keeps on growing in a ‘goblet’ shape, which is open-centred.
Deadheading
Deadheading is equally as important to keep a rose flowering again and again. Whereas pruning is done just once a year in the winter, deadheading should be undertaken repeatedly after a flower head is spent. This task involves, as the name suggests, the removal of dead flower heads following their bloom. This not only tidies the visual appearance of the rose but encourages another bloom to follow. Dead flower-heads can be simply pinched off the plant by hand but ideally they should be cut after 2 five leaflet stems up the shoot
Climbing and Rambling Roses
Rambling roses are very vigorous growers and often hold smaller flowers in ‘sprays’ that only bloom once a year.
Climbing roses will be less vigorous but have larger individual flowers repeating throughout the season, if deadheaded.
When training any climbing or rambling rose the first thing to be aware of is the overall structure. The aim is to create a frame work fanning out from the bottom. Don’t be afraid to remove stems if they don’t fit, even if they are old and well established.
By training stems horizontally you encourage the nodes along the length of the stem to bud. These bud will turn in to stem that will grow vertically and flower their apex. In short, the more horizontal stems, the more budding nodes and the more covered in blooms your climbing rose will be.
Never use wire when tying in your rose. As the rose grows the wire will strangle the stems. Use string or twine so as the rose grow it will break and not the rose.
Identifying types of roses
There are a lot of different types of roses even before we get in to the hundreds of cultivar for each type.
Hybrid Tea Roses
Hybrid tea flowers are well-formed with large, high-centred buds, supported by long, straight and upright stems. They are one of the most popular roses and you will see them often.
Specific pruning information
Pruning should be done late winter or early spring.
Shorten back the strongest remaining shoots to four to six buds 10-15cm (4-6in) from the base, to the point where last year’s growth began
Don’t prune newly planted roses too hard
Polyantha Roses
Polyantha Roses are small shrub roses. They tend to have small flowers that are produced in clusters. Their compact habit make them perfect for the front of borders.
Specific pruning information
At the end of the growing season all flowered stems must be cut back for the winter.
Pruned back relatively hard in the late winter/ early spring leaving 4-6 buds above the soil surface (this should leave stems roughly 15cm tall).
Be very aware of trying to create the goblet shape.
Standard Roses
Standard roses are roses chosen for their flowering properties that have been grafted (fused) on top of a taller rootstock. A graft is the combination of two species to achieve a best of both worlds scenario but comes with specific pruning techniques.
Specific pruning information
At the end of the growing season all flowered stems must be cut back for the winter.
Prune all stems back be 1/3 to maintain bushy shape.
Be very aware of trying to create the goblet shape.
Break (not cut) shooting stem from the base of the rose.
Shrub Roses
Shrub roses, as the name suggests, are bushy and woody roses with a larger ultimate height and spread than the Hybrid tea roses.
Pruning Information
1/3 off the stems lengths cut back after flowering in autumn.
Side shoots cut back to 1/2 of their length once annually in the winter.
In the autumn approximately 10% of top stems should be removed to reduce drag caused by strong gusts.
Ground Cover Roses
Ground Cover Roses are as the name suggests are low growing. They vary in size. Most are repeat flowering and some are more fragrant than others.
Specific pruning information
If there's only one thick stem, cut back to 3–5 buds above where the stem changes from green to old grey bark
If the plant is congested, cut out old branches from the base to promote new growth.
Climbing and Rambling Roses
Climbing and rambling roses can both be pruned in the late autumn to midwinter. The two differ in the extent of flowering and their growing habit as well as the support needed to continue to cover a structure such as pergola, wall or fence.
Specific pruning information
Flowers will grow upwards from the horizontal side shoots which must not be cut as the flowers will grow from the previous year’s horizontal side shoots.
Be careful not to over prune, removing old thick stems is necessary but cutting back too many can leave the remaining stems over burdened.
Floribunda Roses
Floribunda roses are a cross of Hybrid Tea and Polyantha creating a more bushier form that hold clusters of flowers. They are repeat flowering and are hardier and more desease resistant than Hybrid Teas.
Specific pruning information
Aim is to cut out all three year old wood, leaving only younger more vigorous growths, which produce better flowers
Shorten back the strongest remaining shoots to four to six buds 10-15cm (4-6in) from the base, to the point where last year’s growth began
