Pruning roses: when and how, by type

Prune roses mainly in March, when the forsythia blooms: cut large-flowered roses back to 40 to 50 cm and cluster roses lighter, to 60 to 75 cm, always at an angle just above an outward-facing bud. Climbing roses keep their main stems. Prune ramblers and once-flowering roses only directly after flowering, in June or July. In summer, cut back spent flowers to the first leaf with five leaflets, and in autumn only shorten long stems.

Pruning roses by type: the table

Not sure which rose you have? The difference between shrub, standard, climbing and ground-cover roses is explained in which rose type suits your garden.

Shrub roses: the main pruning in March

For most roses in the border, March is the moment, usually mid to late March, when the buds are swelling but have not yet broken. In the precise week for pruning you can read how to recognise that moment on the plant. Anyone pruning on a mild, dry day in February will find in pruning roses in February what to watch out for.

Cut a large-flowered rose hardest: keep three to five strong stems. Prune a cluster rose lighter, so the shrub remains full at the base. Thin out an English rose mainly. The complete work in March, from dead wood to the final cut, is described in spring pruning of roses.

Young roses: the first year

A rose planted in winter should be cut back to 30 to 45 cm in March. After that, let it grow and flower; the major pruning follows only the year after. Do not prune climbing roses in the first year: just tie the shoots loosely. If you hesitate with every cut, your first rose pruning without fear will help.

Climbing roses and ramblers

With a climbing rose, the long main stems remain: that is the framework. Horizontally tied stems produce more flowers than stems growing straight up. A repeat-flowering climbing rose receives light pruning in March and after each flush you cut back the spent clusters. Prune a once-flowering climbing rose only after flowering.

Ramblers grow faster and produce much thin wood. After flowering, cut back the flowered shoots and remove a third of the old wood. More about large, floriferous ramblers can be read in pruning a floriferous rambler. The Banksia rose flowers on old wood and requires the same timing; the details are in Rosa banksiae: timing and techniques.

Standard roses, weeping roses, ground covers and roses in pots

Prune a standard rose in March to an even ball: all crown stems approximately the same length. Always remove wild shoots on the stem. A weeping rose lets its stems hang; remove only dead wood and each year some of the oldest stems. Ground-cover roses require the least work: remove dead wood and cut back shoots growing upright to an outward-facing bud. Miniature and patio roses in a pot are cut back moderately and kept compact in May by pinching out growing tips.

Botanical roses, rugosa and a rose hedge

Botanical roses, such as the dog rose, require hardly any pruning: only dead wood is removed. The rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) is an exception: it tolerates heavy pruning in March and quickly regrows. In a rose hedge you want flowers and rose hips, so shorten the hedge in June or July and leave it alone after August.

Still wondering where a rose hedge or climbing rose looks best? In a garden design you can see on a photo of your own garden how roses fit with the rest of the planting.

Summer: cutting away spent flowers

By cutting away spent flowers, a repeat-flowering rose blooms again. Do not just cut off the flower, but cut back to just above the first full leaf with five leaflets, usually 5 to 10 cm below the flower, as in deadheading roses. With summer pruning after the first flush, you can go a bit deeper, 10 to 20 cm. How to approach this after the first flush is explained in pruning roses after the first flush and rose pruning after flowering in June. For July and August, read on in summer pruning of roses and summer pruning in July for a second flush.

Pruning against disease

An open shrub dries faster and gets less fungus. In March, remove thin stems from the heart of the shrub and always cut affected parts back to healthy wood. By disease: pruning against powdery mildew, pruning against black spot and pruning against rust or hip disease.

Step-by-step plan

Step 1: Choose the moment

Mid to late March, when the forsythia blooms and the rose buds are swelling. Choose a dry day without frost.

Step 2: Remove dead and weak wood

Cut black, grey or broken wood back to healthy green. Stems thinner than a pencil and wood growing towards the heart of the shrub can also go.

Step 3: Choose the strongest stems

Keep three to five sturdy, well-distributed stems. They form the framework of the shrub.

Step 4: Cut back to the right height

Cut a large-flowered rose back to 40 to 50 cm, a cluster rose lighter, to 60 to 75 cm. Cut each stem at an angle, half a centimetre above a bud pointing outwards. This way the new shoot grows outwards and the heart remains open.

Step 5: Clear up and add compost

Clear up the prunings and do not put diseased wood on the compost heap. Add a shovel of compost around the base. A wound sealant is not necessary: roses close their wounds themselves.