Roses: The Myth and the Magic
Any growth below this union is a sucker, and must be removed by pulling (not cut) away from the rootstock, that is why I like to keep the union at ground level for observation purposes. If the sucker is cut you are only increasing its vigour and it will come up twofold each time you cut it. So you must pull it away from the stock.
Now to the pruning myth. Roses will survive in spite of any amount of neglect as far as pruning is concerned. Indeed some of them seem to flower much better when not pruned at all, but it does nothing for the appearance of the plant and can shorten its life span by several years.
The method of pruning has been shrouded in controversy in recent times as to whether proper pruning or slashing is the most successful. That in itself is a guide as to what the humble rose will endure. You can prune it hard or lightly, in the autumn or the spring, look for outward facing buds and prune above one of these, or just take potluck, slash everything in sight and hope for the best.
The way the professionals do it is to prune hard the first year, which is about one inch from the union, or the second bud. Then in subsequent years they prune floribundas to three or four buds, and HTs to five or six buds according to variety. Some of the modern hybrids require less pruning and are best treated as shrubs.
Pruning times is another contentious subject. In the nurseries the roses are all topped in the late autumn and pruned in early spring. That is in February or early March at the latest. There is nothing to be gained by delaying until later as one cannot predict the weather, which has little or no bearing on early pruned roses in any case. I always pruned my roses in mid February with no ill effects.
Now to the magic.
What is more magical than opening the door on a warm summer morning to a nice arch of 'Schoolgirl' scrambling over the porch, or looking out the dining room window at a bed of Peace, and the walls covered with Penny Lane and Parkdirector Riggers. Imagine sitting on the patio surrounded by Flower Carpet with hundreds of flowers displayed and knowing that you only have to remove the dead trusses to continue the
Latest Articles