A simple guide for healthier plants and better blooms
Pruning roses helps keep plants healthy, encourages new growth, and improves how they look in your garden. Done at the right time and in the right way, it can make a noticeable difference in how your roses perform each season.
Why Pruning Roses Matters
Pruning isn’t just about appearance. It serves a few important purposes:
Removes dead or diseased canes and leaves
Encourages new growth and more blooms
Improves air circulation, which helps reduce disease
Shapes the plant for better structure
Each cut supports the overall health of the plant.
What You’ll Need
Before you start, gather a few basic tools:
Sharp bypass pruners (for most cuts)
Loppers (for thicker or hard-to-reach canes)
Thick, long gloves
Long sleeves and pants
Rubbing alcohol (to clean pruners between plants)
Keeping tools clean is especially important when dealing with diseased material.
When to Prune Roses
Major Pruning (Late Winter to Early Spring)
This is the most important pruning of the year.
Prune when buds begin to swell
Often lines up with when forsythia starts to bloom
In-Season Pruning (May through September)
Light pruning happens throughout the growing season
Most active in June and July
Timing matters. Pruning too early or too late can affect growth and flowering.
How to Prune Roses (Step-by-Step)
1. Start by Removing Problem Growth
Always begin by clearing out what the plant doesn’t need:
Dead or diseased canes
Usually brown or reddish
Cut back until you see light green inside the stem
This may mean cutting all the way to the ground
Pencil-thin canes
Rarely produce flowers
Can rub against stronger canes in the wind
Suckers
Grow straight from the root zone
Clean your pruners after cutting diseased material and discard affected debris.
2. Thin and Shape the Plant
Next, improve structure and airflow:
Remove canes that are rubbing against each other
Take out older, thicker canes (often in the center)
These may require loppers
This step opens up the plant and helps prevent future issues.
3. Make Proper Cuts
For the canes you keep:
Cut back to about ½ inch above an outward-facing bud
Cut at a 45-degree angle, sloping away from the bud
This helps direct growth outward and prevents water from sitting on the cut.
How Much to Prune
As a general rule:
Remove about 1/3 to 1/2 of the plant
Typical height after pruning:
Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, David Austin roses: 15–24 inches
Floribundas and shrub roses: 24–36 inches
Miniature and groundcover roses: shear to shape
Most roses benefit from a “V” or vase shape, which improves light and airflow.
After Pruning
Once pruning is complete:
Apply a dormant horticultural oil to the entire plant
This helps protect against fungus and insects that overwinter in the soil.
In-Season Rose Care (May–September)
During the growing season, pruning is lighter and more routine:
Remove spent flowers
Cut back to the first or second set of five leaves
Remove diseased canes or leaves when needed
Remove suckers from the base
This keeps plants tidy and encourages continued blooming.
Pruning Climbing Roses
Climbing roses follow a different pattern.
Prune after they bloom (they bloom on old wood)
Train main canes horizontally
Upright canes tend to bloom only at the ends
Keep laterals growing upward
Remove any growing downward
Cut laterals back to two buds
Remove rubbing branches, diseased canes, and suckers
A little training goes a long way with climbers.
A Simple Way to Think About It
Start by clearing out what’s not healthy.
Then shape what remains.
Finish by guiding future growth.
If you’re unsure where to start, bring a photo—or the plant itself—when you visit. We’re happy to take a look and walk you through it.