WHEN TO PRUNE

Articles In This Section:

· WINTER PRUNING

· THE NECESSITY FOR PRUNING

· HEAVY OR LIGHT PRUNING

· WHEN TO PRUNE

· PRUNING BUSHES AND STANDARDS - Part 1

· PRUNING BUSHES AND STANDARDS - Part 2

· PRUNING FLORIBUNDAS AND POLYANTHAS

· PRUNING CLIMBERS

· PRUNING WICHURAIANA RAMBLERS

· PRUNING ROSE HEDGES

It is hard to find a good time for conventional pruning in semi-tropical climates, for there is no cessation of growth and blooming. The necessity for cutting blooms correctly is greater in these regions, for that is often the only pruning necessary, except the removal, as soon as detected, of dead and sickly wood and, from time to time, of old branches. This continuous growing and blooming ages wood more quickly, but helps in the production of new branches to replace old ones.

In cooler climates roses should be pruned just after their greatest stage of dormancy, as the new growth-buds swell preparatory to bursting. The first of these to show enlargement will be on the uppermost ends of branches. They may be in leaf before the bigger and better buds, lower on the same stem, have swollen. This will usually happen in July. The sap is then rising, and pruning time has arrived. Do not begin pruning in cool climates before 1st July, and finish by 20th July in an average garden.

In large gardens, where there is a great amount to be done in a limited time, climbers could be pruned as early as 20th June and the bushes not be finished until 1 oth August. Early pruning induces early growth, which is then exposed to damage by frost. Late pruning may cause "bleeding" of sap from large cuts.

Many people attempt to get early roses by early pruning, but extremely little, if any, difference in blooming times can be gained, except in warm climates where growth is almost constant. For early flowers one must plant early-blooming varieties.

Many others attempt to pospone the blooming of some sorts. This is most often tried by exhibitors with varieties that normally bloom earlier than the majority of roses, for which spring show dates are arranged. To delay the blooming time by one week it is necessary to prune at least one month later than usual. By this time fairly big leaves will have grown on the distal parts of the plants. They must be removed by cutting back to a more proximal bud that has not yet shot. Much plant food will have been used in producing the shoots that are sacrificed, and the blooms that follow will be a little smaller than they would have been if they had been allowed to come at their normal time. The exhibitor argues that it is better to have slightly smaller blooms on show day than for the variety to have finished flowering.