Thanksgiving Virtual Flowers

Roses need proper pruning, and although my wife has traditionally done the rose bush pruning, I've started taking over. It's fairly straightforward, especially if you understand the 3 pruning cuts and have good, well cared for, and sharp pruning tools. I find I use all three types on cuts on my rose bushes.

Thinning is used to, well, thin. To make a plant more open and less congested or thickly branched. To prune you cut a branch at its base, either at the branch it comes off of or at the base of the plant itself. This also helps prevent disease by increasing air circulation around the plant.

Shearing is aggressively cutting off portions of the plant usually with hedge clippers. Below the cuts you will get vigorous lively growth, and the plant will fill out and become more dense. This works very well with rose hedges as you want them dense and hedge shaped.

Pruning back dormant buds, during the winter season, focuses a plant's energy onto that bud as well as perhaps one or two other nearby ones when growing season resumes. This is a good way to direct blooming energy into the canes you want to bloom heavily. I find pruning dormant buds a bit trickier, and my wife does most of this.

Pruning your roses is not difficult and it will make your plants healthier and prettier, keeps your plants within the bounds you wish, and improve flowering and direct growth. It's also quite easy to do, although I always fear overpruning!

H Baldwin writes on gardening, health and recreation. See his latest at Mens Motorcycle Boots [mensmotorcycleboots.org] and Kids Motorcycle Boots [mensmotorcycleboots.org/kids-motorcycle-boots.htm].