- Wear thick gloves
- Use sharp bypass pruners (not anvil types, which will crush stems instead of cutting), and loppers or a pruning saw for large, dead canes
- A correct cut is a 45-degree angle close to an inch above an outward facing bud eye (swollen part on the cane where the leaf attaches).
- Follow the three Ds: prune dead, damaged or diseased wood back to healthy tissue which has the green bark on the outside of the cane, white pith on the inside.
- Prune out thin, weak canes and cut old woody canes close to the ground.
- The goal is to open up the plant for more sunlight and air movement.
NOTE: Until time to plant, place new purchases inside near a sunny window and keep containers moist, but not too wet, small, two-inch pots dry out quickly.
Early May is the perfect time to prune back roses to increase flower production, improve size, shape and health. Pruning will vary based on the amount of dieback and also the rose type. Fertilize roses soon after pruning. Follow package instructions for the amount needed per rose. Pull back any mulch, water before applying the fertilizer, then water again after application, return mulch.
Modern shrub and old garden roses will need the least pruning. Climbers and once bloomers prefer being pruned after their first flowering. Hybrid tea roses with lots of winter die back may need a heavy prune, often to the ground.
