Roses are Red...

Roses are hands-down one of the most popular Valentines gifts, but in East Tennessee it's just too Zone 7 gardeners -- pruning and shaping.  If you live somewhere else, the following guidelines can be used at the time of year that's best for pruning roses in your area.  For instance, in the London, England area, gardeners should give their roses a hard prune in October rather than February.

Pruning and shaping in dormancy can result
in better rose blooms during the growing season

early to practically grow our own for the holiday.  However, there is a vitally important bit of rose maintenance that should be done right around Valentines day for

Trimming your rose bushes now will help improve the shape of the plant, decrease disease and pest issues by improving air circulation, and even make for better blooms later in the year.  Rose pruning is perceived as a daunting and difficult task for many of the homeowners I've spoken to.  Those afraid to research or ask for a little help may hedge their bushes, cut the canes right to the ground (yikes!), or just leave them untouched year after year.  The truth is, proper rose pruning is simple, fun, and doesn't take terribly long if you only have a handful of shrubs.

What you'll need
To get started, you'll need a pair of sharp bypass pruners (please please please don't use hedging shears or loppers!) and some thick and durable gardening gloves.  It's a good idea to wear a long sleeved jacket, long pants, and closed toed shoes.  There is a certain finesse to cutting a rose without being scratched, but I just don't have it.  Some of the more nasty scratches can last a long while or even scar; so it's a good idea to dress appropriately.

If you're cutting more than one rose bush, it's also wise to have a bottle of alcohol or some alcohol wipes ready to sterilize your pruners between plants.  Professional rose gardeners will actually sterilize shears between individual cuts, but for most home gardeners in most circumstances it's sufficient to clean between plants.

Nip it in the bud
Before you make your first snip, it's vitally important that you are able to recognize a bud.  Roses may have raised, red leaf buds that are ready to sprout.  Lower down the rose canes there are also dormant buds that are flat and blend in with the stem.  The buds are located right above the small lines that run horizontally along some sections of the stem.

When you cut, it's important to cut just above the bud.  Why?  This bud will sprout the new growth for the shrub later in the year.  Avoid making flat cuts; instead, cut at an angle.  This will cause water to run off the cut more easily.

It's important to be able to recognize a rose bud
before you make your first cut!

The side of the cane that the bud is facing is typically the direction the new stem will grow.  That means that cutting to any bud just won't do.  Choosing buds that face the inside of the plant will result in a congested shrub that will be more susceptible to pests and diseases later in the growing season.  When you cut, look for buds that face the outside of the plant.  This will improve air circulation, and the blooms will be easier to see and enjoy.

Cut it out
Now that you have all your tools and you're able to recognize a bud, it's time to get to work.  Begin by cutting large canes down to between 1 and 2 feet from the ground.  Remember to prune at an angle above any outside facing buds.  Next, all but the smallest canes to the same height.  Now remove any of the small, spindly branches that are growing from the base of the plant.  Finally, prune out the Three D's -- any dead, diseased, or damaged growth that may be remaining.

Tidy up
Congratulations!  You're now a rose pruning expert!  But before going inside to warm up and celebrate, you need to remove all of the debris and green waste.  As a group, roses tend to be more prone to pests and diseases than other shrubs.  Any litter from last year that remains below the rose bush may be harboring insects, eggs, or bacteria that could infect next year's growth.  Go ahead and clean that up now.

Unless you practice hot composting (temperatures above 135 degrees Fahrenheit for days at a time), your rose trimmings shouldn't go in your compost bin.  Insects and bacteria could survive cold composting and infest your garden next year.  The best things to do with rose waste is to burn it in a brush pile or throw it away.

Stop and smell the roses
Now that you've put all this work into rose maintenance while the shrubs are dormant, it would be a shame for the blooms to go unnoticed later in the year.  If you're anything like me, it's easy to get caught up in garden maintenance (and life in general) and miss out on the whole reason why you put all the work into your garden in the first place -- to enjoy it!  Go ahead and mark your calendar for this summer, and leave yourself a reminder to stop and smell the roses.

To see more helpful photos, be sure to check out the album "Roses are Red" on the Plante on Plants Facebook page.

Questions?  Comments?  Have anything to add?  Please post a comment below or shoot me an Plante on Plantes.  Thanks for reading!

 

My pet rabbit Zoro is always up for some pruning

Quick and Dirty Tips for Pruning Trees

Pruning trees is a must for good aesthetics and tree health.  Clearing some space in the canopy helps

Pruning a peach tree this February.

increase air circulation, which can be good for decreasing some pest, disease, and fungal problems.  Cutting out crossing limbs can cut down on damage caused by rubbing branches.  It's easier to see the form of a well pruned tree, which makes it much more attractive than a big blob of green foliage.

Although some trees prefer to be pruned in the spring or summer, most should be pruned in cooler fall or winter months.  In Knoxville it's about time to wrap up last minute pruning in preparation for spring weather.  Cooler zones further north may have a bit more time to prune.  Tree health aside, one major benefit of pruning trees in the dormant season is that there's less foliage in the way.  To quote Dr. Susan Hamilton of the UT Gardens, it's easier to see the "bones" of the tree if you prune in the winter.

Below are a few best practices I follow for tree pruning.  This is a far cry from a comprehensive guide, and if you want to learn more there are several good guides available.

Cut it out:

1. Dead / broken limbs:  These branches are goners.  There's no point in leaving them in, so take 'em out.  If you think the limb could have possibly died from a pest or disease problem consider cutting at

   

   Image courtesy of www.wintergreenhouse.com

   least 6 inches below the start of limb death to root out the problem.
2. Suckers:  This means any growth from the base and the trunk.  Suckering is especially prevalent with grafted trees, which makes it a common occurrence in the landscape.  Aesthetically, suckers are distracting.  Horticulturally, suckers may be sprouting from the rootstock instead of the desired graft.
3. Water sprouts:  I.E. vertical branches.  Water sprouts are weak growth and should be removed earlier rather than later.  The bigger they get, the more they rip.  
4. Crossing limbs: These limbs will rub against each other and damage the bark making the tree more susceptible to pest and disease problems.  In addition to removing limbs that are currently intersecting, go ahead and cut out the ones that will cross in the future.  Follow the growth of a branch.  If it continues growing in the same direction, where will it end up?  If the branch is growing toward the center of the tree instead of out, it's pretty well guaranteed to cross sometime in the future.
5. Hangers:  In many cases, if a limb is droopy it may become weak and break.  Keep an eye out for hanging limbs and remove them if you think they'll become a problem.

A few more Tree Tips:

• Trees should be pruned regularly -- about once a year.  Annually going through and chopping out problem branches while they're small is healthier for the tree and easier work than waiting until the problem branches are large and heavy.

  

  It's a good idea to sterilize pruners with
  hydrogen peroxide between plants or diseased limbs.

• Cuts should be made at an angle.  That is, the stub shouldn't be flat upwards like a table.  An angled cut will drain water, a flat cut will pool water and develop health problems.
• Use a bypass pruner.  Bypass pruners will make a clean, healthy cut.  Anvil pruners kind of squish the limb before cutting.
• If the branch is too large for a set of bypass hand pruners, step up to loppers.  If the branch is too large for loppers, use a hand saw.  If the branch is too large for a hand saw, consider calling a professional.
• Use sharp tools.  Sharp tools are easier to use and make cleaner cuts.
• Sterilize tools with hydrogen peroxide.  I pour peroxide in a little spritzer bottle and keep it on my person while I work to sterilize between trees or when pruning a specimen that has a particularly nasty disease issue.

Remember, pruning is always thoughtful and never reckless.  Fight the temptation to chop at the canopy with hedge clippers or a chain saw.  Although good pruning may take a little more effort, you'll have the best looking trees on the block.  And remember, "Topless Trees are Indecent!"

If you have any questions, ideas, or comments, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me an email.

To see more of my tree maintenance pictures, check out my photobucket story.

What words of wisdom can you share about pruning trees?  What are your favorite tools for getting the job done?  Any good stories or experiences?

Pepe and I prepare to trim up his orange tree.

Pruning the tree opened up the canopy and made the attractive form more visible.