Flower Forest Lake

Pruning rose bushes is about more than just cutting some branches away.

It is an art and when done properly not only makes your garden more beautiful to view, but also makes the plant stronger and healthier. Many people do not know anything about it and so either neglect to do it at all, or prune the plants improperly. When pruning your roses, there are different tools and techniques that should be employed.

There are several reasons for pruning.

First, you want your bushes to be as gorgeous as possible. Pruning away old dead branches and excess will give you a more beautiful plant. You also want to make sure the roses get plenty of room to grow and breathe and that the sunlight is able to penetrate into the plant, encouraging more blooms.

Many people like their bushes to be a certain shape and size. Pruning rose bushes is the best way to control their growth. Sometimes roses can become weak or diseased. Pruning them will help keep them healthy and strong, getting rid of all the old branches and diseased parts of the plant.

This job requires specific tools and a sturdy pair of gloves.

Roses have very sharp thorns and your hands need to be protected. You will also need the right kind of pruning shears. Never use hedge trimmers because they can actually do damage to your roses. Instead, use some regular loppers, making sure that they are sharp first. For smaller bushes, you can use some хэнд shears, which have a shorter handle and are more than adequate for smaller bushes.

The technique you use when pruning rose bushes depends on the effect you want and the type of roses you are pruning. However, there are some techniques that should be followed for all roses. Pruning dead wood, blooms, and canes is the first priority. Get rid of anything that is not necessary. Weak looking canes should also be pruned, as well as those that are rubbing against each other.

Regular pruning in this way will help increase the sunlight and air circulation throughout, giving you a healthy plant all the way through. It will also help your roses look nicer, encourage more new blooms, and help protect your roses from disease.

When pruning rose bushes it is important that you don't take away any of the new buds.

These appear as little nodules along the branch and will be your new blooms when the plant starts to grow again. Look for these buds and make your cuts just above them, especially the ones that are facing outward.

The plant does not need to be dormant for this type of maintenance does not have to be done. Some small tidying up such as getting rid of the dead blooms and cutting out any diseased or dead canes and wood can be done during the growing season as long as you are careful. Try not to make any major cuts until the growing season is over and the plant is dormant.

The art of pruning rose bushes is also a skill that must be perfected over time. Once you get the hang of it, you will have beautiful flowers and gorgeous plants to enjoy each year.

Peter Bourke is a passionate rose gardening expert... for more great information about visit