Rose Pruning the Easy Way

[@avinashmishra9592]

Hi Jason. I am from India, Every video of you is very informative which helps me in growing roses thak you.

[@deannaroby9630]

I’m so glad I saw this. I live in Arizona and pruned all my leggy and overgrown roses yesterday. I was nervous I had done it to early.... guess not !

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Deanna - well, I hope no one is taking me too literally on timing. It'll always depend on your local climate and forecast. Here in the Fraser Valley, we're in for some very cold weather in the next week, so I may been a bit premature on these two. When in doubt, wait it out.

[@Stu2366593]

Excellent, as usual. Never thought of using Lysol. Beautiful mountains and mist/clouds behind you.

[@user-jy2sj4ed4i]

Thanks for your wealth of knowledge

[@jlnriddick]

For the longest time I've been meaning to watch your "I quit my job" video. I haven't gotten to it yet (headed there right after this comment!), but I picture you in a management type position of a larger corporation. I'm certain you were great at it! We'll see how right/wrong/close I am. Regardless of your previous career path, I'm so happy for you that you're able to follow your passion, and (as an avid reader of comment sections) I always enjoy seeing the vast number of people who comment on your ability to explain (in layman's terms) exactly what needs to be understood on every specific topic. You're such an authentic speaker and incredibly knowledgeable! Your channel is going to continue to grow exponentially! Thank you for all of your effort in helping the rest of us thrive in the garden! I can't even tell you how much I've learned already!

[@lauraburn2914]

Appreciate your unfussy approach to this and that you share how to deal with the big overgrown rose....it's possible I have such plants to deal with ;) Very helpful!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Laura

[@nursekjf]

Excellent! I always prune mine the weekend after Superbowl. Thanks

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Kevin. Gardening and football seem like a perfect association to me!

[@rosedreams356]

Always so expert, with such an easy humor, and you make people feel confident and encouraged. Thank you for all you do!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks so much Molly!

[@chandraprasad1244]

Dramatic transformation

[@chillipeppers8194]

Very excited to let you know progress from previous post 4mth ago - its Spring in Australia and after cutting back very hard my old rose bush 30+ yrs it is now flourishing and has green leaves and roses popping up would love to send you before & after photo so people can see how remarkable a good pruning is. This rose bush was unattended for 30+ years in a property

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

That's great news! Nicely done.

[@dankeil4470]

Being as high up as you live ,your roses look better than Central Illinois roses. I have to usually cut my plants to the ground. I hardly ever have a stem 6" to cut back to good wood! BTW I used to be the ARS Q&A Man!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Dan - I definitely have a ton of respect for all that the rose societies do to help newbies!

[@Max-nt7ho]

As usual, excellent & straightforward video! Very informative to a rose newbie like me. Thx! Since the pandemic, I found a good use of the disinfectant liquid left in the containers of my disinfectant wipes: I put the liquid in a sprayer to disinfect my rose-trimming tools. 😊

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Fantastic!

[@preciousshortie]

Thanks for this. I just planted my roses last season. I’ll examine them once the snow melts here but I’m sure I won’t prune them like you suggest.

[@melfuz]

As always, a fabulous video! Thank you and keep it up! All hail the Ziziphus. 😁

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Melanie!

[@bryan3550]

Nice work Jason! I must concede that I said "Chainsaw" about a minute before you did... We're six months ahead of you in Oz. I have roses going a bit silly in mid-summer. Dare I trim them now?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Bryan. You can base the decision on local weather. I don't know how much heat you're still expecting - heat combined with pruning can be a bit stressful on the plant. If you can hold off to a cooler part of the season, it may be safer.

[@tiadrumgold4702]

Good stuff! Beginner here just started last year in containers. I was impressed. Putting them in the ground this week. Fingers crossed.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Best of luck Tia. Have a great season

[@lokeshgreen245]

another excellent video, good advise for pruning other shrubs as well, I prefer bahco pruners to felco, easier cuts, stay sharper and in adjustment longer, more ergonomic , when pruning the top I like to leave the center higher more of a cone shape, and pay attention to pruning to outward facing buds

[@Olivers-G0mmer]

Thank you, this is EXACTLY what I needed to learn. :)

[@alittlebitofeverythingwith5590]

Thank you, a good one again.

[@dennistaft7868]

Hey Jason thanks for this but I'll wait a while because they are under a foot of snow here in NY.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Ugh. That's a lot. I hear we're in for some deep cold next week too, and I guess I may have been a little premature on these two roses.

[@christinalw19]

I am not a rose expert, but in So CA, one nurserymen who teaches classes at his nursery (before Covid 🤨) recommends we wait until April to help the rose get through our very hot summers. I have done that once. Meh. I’m pretty consistent with doing it January 20, as my horticulture teacher originally taught me! 😇👍🏼

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Christina. I think I'd side with your hort teacher and aim a bit on the early side. A prune in the coolest part of the season allows plenty of recovery time before heat stress is a concern. Pruning to reduce foliage just before hot weather may sound like a good idea, but I think it would compound the stress. People think similarly for heavy pruning at the time of transplant, but I read this article on the practice: s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/transplant-pruning.pdf

[@sjkb7499]

Thank you for this video. I have been gifted a rose tree and am fairly excited to see how I do.

[@ginafriend1690]

I would not have any problem pruning this down as you did (in fact I find it great therapy) but the thorns are a fear of mine. Something I need to get over. Would like to grow.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Gina. Leather gloves all the way!

[@ginafriend1690]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm 👍

[@janetbull2616]

Really helpful video thanks Jason

[@patsyden6276]

Thank you for sharing, always interesting and helpful.

[@sandy-rr1by]

perfect example! looks a lot like a couple of mine!!! wondering if cuttings can become rootings?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It can be done - hardwood method, because the stems are fully woody. The hardwood method is a lot slower than other ways of propagating roses, so I usually don't put much effort into it - but always a fun project.

[@AliciaS57]

Thank you. That was very helpful!

[@nanahathaway6728]

Thx for another great video especially tip on Lysol not rusting the blades! Question tho as I’ve always been told by our Pacific nw master rosarians to cut away a third of the oldest canes as they will stop producing blooms after 3-4 years? True or false???

[@QueenbeeDowtin0407]

Thank you for the tutorial! I kinda afraid to prune my DA roses now or in a few days because I will have temperature in teens, that be safe to do so, it really don’t matter? Also when I prune them I need to fertilizer it?

[@purplethumb7887]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@peterkoller3761]

HI Jason. Can you use the cuttings which grew last year for propagation now? I know of course it is hardwood by now, not semi-softwood as you prefer to use, but would it work seasonwise, that is, taking them out of their winter dormancy straight into the stressful task of rooting? And one more question: I got a beautiful about 40 year old rose bush which has hardly ever been cut down to the base and now has only one branch out of the ground which is about 2 inches in diameter, all grey and brwon bark and branching out only about 2 feet above the ground - can I cut this stem back and will it develop shots from dormant eyes closer to the base, or are the eyes on such an old stem dead?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Peter. Yes, you can definitely start hardwood cuttings from pruning taken this time of year. That's a tough call on your 40-year old rose. My bet is that there are still dormant buds on that aged section of wood, but I'm not sure I'd bet the life of the rose on it. If I were you, I might take the safer approach, and bring it down to just above the branching - if this is a significant enough pruning, it may be enough to wake up some of the dormant buds down lower. If you do see new growth down low, you can always follow up later with a lower cut. If not, at least you haven't killed it.

[@peterkoller3761]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you, Jason, for your time and for sharing your expertise!

[@steveo_o6707]

Thank you

[@ferventengineering5788]

Love the video!

[@pozzee2809]

Help my Hydrangeas, roses, autumn sedum are all in bud and lenten roses and crocuses are blooming. Now they say this week it is going down to at least minus 10 c, what can I do to save them?

[@jonny5142]

Is your farm only rose/flower seedlings/plants or do you do veggie and fruit plants to ?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I've grown and sold a wide variety of plants - yes, some veggies and fruits as well.

[@joanneblair6085]

Thanks for the video Jason, I have seven knockout roses that have been in the ground for four seasons and I have been pruning them from the start. I didn’t know any better. But now they have black spot I noticed it this pass fall. What do I need to do. Please help. Zone 6b Kentucky

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Joanne - no worries. Knockouts are pretty vigorous. Combine your spring pruning with a cleanup of old foliage around the base. If you can apply a new mulch around the rose, it will also help to hold down those old spores. You could try a spray of bordeaux mix on the stems to give it a clean start for the season.

[@joanneblair6085]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so for your quick reply. Have a great day🐝🌻

[@annickaprevander9863]

Thanks.

[@debrap947]

Just subscribed, greetings from the Okanagan Valley! Such helpful, easy instructions, thank you. Do you have a video on how to prune a Bonica rose bush? Also is it better water rose bushes at the base only and not use a sprinkler? Is it bad for the leaves?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Bonica doesn't need any special attention - you could do it with a hedge trimmer if you wanted! It's a tough landscape rose. I think watering at the base is marginally better. Of course, it rains too, so you won't be able to keep your foliage from moisture (and resulting fungal problems) - so also focus on pruning to allow air circulation to the inside of the shrub.

[@hpi2beme]

Thank you for making pruning roses less intimidating.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure!

[@patriciadarnall9887]

Hi live in So. cal. Some of my roses stems are growing tall . What can I do so they are fuller? They're healthy and are in large terracotta pots. Also how often should you fertilize?

[@blueskies6475]

Ugh! I missed pruning my roses in winter!! What should I do? It's 70 degrees in La now..

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

70 degrees is still pretty doable and your rose should recover nicely, so long as the prune isn't too severe.

[@malebuls]

Can we propagate those cuttings? My garden is in zone 7B-8

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes- you can stick them with the hardwood technique. Cooler temperature (outdoors, often directly in the ground), semi-shade - it takes a long time compared to other rose propagation methods, but can be a fun project.

[@TimeTravelReads]

Okay. So because my roses went in the ground last summer, they don't need major pruning. I didn't deadhead it though, so that still needs to be done. Thank you.

[@astadog]

Hello! This is very informative and helpful. I have a rose bush that is getting to about 5 feet tall and some of the branches a so long that it is starting to sag and look a little like a trumpet pointing up. The temps here are on the cool side, highs in the 60's, but it is almost June. Is it too late to prune? My rose is a repeat bloomer and is blooming nicely right now. Thanks!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

No, it's not too late to prune as needed - as you say, they're repeat bloomers so they'll move straight back into growth and then flowering.

[@kamisakanto189]

Hi Jason, Is there an easy way to prune standard / tree roses? Thanks and kind regards.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Kami - I did a couple of examples of standard roses in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqHEpoyJm85rY5Y

[@Combatpzman]

Hi Jason, any tips for purging Rosa Rugosa varieties would be appreciated. So far I’ve always pruned them like I have hybrid tea roses, but I wonder if there is another or perhaps better approach with them.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I don't treat them gently (because they don't treat me gently either!). I go for a relatively low prune so that I also can address the suckering (depending on variety).

[@Combatpzman]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Yeah they are not the nice roses to work on! I wish I knew the variety, but since it appears that the tags were wrong from the nursery (tags were for a red flower, they are white!) I'm kind of left to guess what the exact type is. The suckers are a pain, since they are mixing with suckers from a cherry tree (joy of joys), so I was concerned that a deep prune would lead to more, but I'll be sure it give it a try now. They were planted 4 years ago now so I figure it shouldn't be too hard on them.

[@lokeshgreen245]

the rugosa's are so vigorous I use a hedge trimmer and cut them to about 6"

[@Alfster18]

Great video. Do you have any advice on how to fix a leggy bush rose. One of my roses only has two mains stems which are quite thin. It just has a small group of flowering buds at the top and not bushy at all. Thanks.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Just good growing conditions and regular pruning

[@raymundsantos2324]

Hi Jason, how are you? I have a question regarding planting annuals from seeds. Can you sow seeds every month so that you will never run out of flowering plants that you can put in your front yard? Thank you!

[@kristalaugust6376]

So if I already have some leaves coming out is it still safe to cut it back?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes, no problem.

[@Sandhu12davinder]

My plant is quite similar to yours so can i prune now its 20-30° in my area

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes Davinder, that should work fine - good luck with your pruning!

[@kengarrett1116]

Hi. Love watching your videos. I have several Cecile Brunner roses. Any tips on pruning those. Although, it is the last month of Autumn here in Melbourne, Australia, so I won't be pruning for 4 or 5 months. Regards Ken

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Ken. I've grown it once (and I have it in my collection again now) - but when I pruned heavily in early spring, I found it spend its energy sending long new shoots rather than blooming. I wonder if it's a better idea to prune only lightly for shape and health early in spring, and then do a more substantial structural pruning after the first flowering.

[@JuliaLopez-jb2sd]

Hi love you’re videos . My question is when you prune your roses do you use does branches for cuttings?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I do much of my pruning in the late winter and the stems are thinking about expressing new shoots rather than rooting, so I find it a tricky time for cuttings. I prefer semi-hardwood cuttings from around the time of the first flush of blooms.

[@JuliaLopez-jb2sd]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.it was very helpful ,I watch your videos every day and love them make sure you keep doing them

[@ricdintino9502]

Do you burn the trimmings on the chance they might carry diseases or compost them?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Mine do end up in the burn pile. The diseases are one reason - prickles and slow decomposition also factor in.

[@AaaBbb-rs9jz]

Great channel. I am binge watching. I live in tropical Indonesia (hot and humid) and have started growing roses in pots. There is no dormant season "on" the equator,. We have a slightly cooler wet season (still 30 Degrees C every day), but because its wet, everything seems to grow in overdrive. The dry season is 34 degrees and needs (twice daily ) watering, which I do on auto timer / drippers. I suppose the dry season will be the time to encourage (non rain damaged) flowers (not pruning?). So, when is best for me to prune?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Just coming into the dry season then - it's a good chance to remove some of the foliar disease related to the moisture, and a flush of new growth after will hopefully produce impressive blooms.

[@AnneBurgess100]

Do you have a video pruning standard roses?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I sure do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqHEpoyJm85rY5Y

[@deanrosario5893]

Thanks for this information. Extremely useful advice. Now, as an optometrist, may I offer some additional advice .. please use safety glasses when doing such jobs.

[@justinthomas4259]

Hey Jason. How do you prune a complete overgrown rosebuds. Say it's like almost 6 ft. I don't usually prune them I'm strictly a tree guy , however I have a cleint with quite overgrown rosebushes and I was curious if you have to hit them hard

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Justin. Yes, if the rose is healthy and growing vigorously, it'll recover from a fairly low prune by activating dormant buds. Timing-wise its usually safer to do in the early spring or active growing season than in the fall or winter (depending on your climate)

[@justinthomas4259]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm in pa temperate climate.

[@agnieszkaweinar3397]

hi, I wanted to learn how to prune/train a climber so it does not become a rambler 😉 My climbers are small, 2 feet tall. will cutting speed up growing? I am in Ottawa, so my cutting time will come in May, I think...

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

No, cutting won't speed up the growing. I do have a video on climbers: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3a9mqWjmJmbaas The trick is to focus on horizontal stems to favor flowering.

[@chillipeppers8194]

I have just pruned a very old rose bush that is probably a climber it would be about 30+ yrs old the base branches are thicker than my arm circumference . It was more tangled than your tangled mass in video, It was smothered by vines which took two days to untangle vines, there was black brittle wood which snapped when cut, cross over rubbing mess, bird nests hidden in the middle. I was worried that it may not survive but it is now shooting little green leaves 6 weeks on we are coming into winter. I had to cut almost all the runners off as well. Any tips much appreciated. Based in Australia

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

With the size and age of the plant, I'm hoping there's enough stored vigor for it to stage a comeback during the cool season. The new shoots are a good sign. Don't push with fertilizer early on while it's recovering from the stress of the pruning.

[@prajaktajoshi6280]

Where is snow? Here I'm stuck in more than foot😒

[@Vmurph]

I just received a potted Kordana *miniature* rose bush as a gift. I know NOTHING about roses, or even any plant for that matter. How long can I keep it in the pot? Do I have to plant it in the ground right away? Right now I’m taking it outside every day for the required amount of sunlight and then bringing it back inside around 5 pm. I’m assuming it’s a young bush, but it’s a miniature, so I can’t tell. The pot is 6 inches diameter, 6 inches tall, and stems are 10 inches with quite a few leaves and about 7 or 8 buds total. Do they HAVE to be planted? If so, what month should I do it? And HOW do I do that? I live in North Carolina. Currently daytime temps average in the mid-50’s to mid-60’s (with some in the 70’s) and mid-upper 30’s to upper 40’s at night.

[@Vmurph]

The reason I’m asking how long it can stay potted, is because we might be moving within a year, and if I plant it in the ground, then I’ll end up having to leave it behind.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Valerie - you're rose can live in a pot for a good long time, but maybe not the same pot it came in. It depends on the balance between the size of the pot and the size of the plant. If the pot is too small, you'll find the rose "thirsty" - drinking up all the water in the pot in a day or two. The pot will be light, and the plant may drop some lower/inner foliage due to stress. In this case, you can transplant into a larger pot so that it's easier to manage until you move. In the meantime, unless you're getting severe cold in your area, it may not be necessary to move the rose inside at night - even if there's a bit of frost.

[@Vmurph]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you! Yes, the soil is drying pretty quickly (24 hours). And after watching a couple more of your videos and seeing the size of the miniatures you showed, I think mine is about to outgrow the pot it came in. Thanks for the info! Your videos are GREAT! I watched pruning videos by others and didn’t understand ANY of them. Until I found yours. You’re an excellent teacher.

[@dankeil4470]

I could use a Rose des Rescht plant!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dan

[@airwater8814]

Sir,I am from India and I want to know how to plant a bud grafted rose in the soil.should I bury the bud union or anything else? Could you please bring a detailed video on this topic about the pros and cons?it will be very much appreciated. Thank you

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I usually plant the graft union at ground level: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmSyemWir7WterM

[@airwater8814]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thank you sir

[@wendymuir7818]

I've read that some climbing roses can be pruned to behave like shrub roses. Is this true? How is it done?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It's easier for some than others - but yes, it's just a low/medium prune annually to a few main sturdy stems, and depending on how rigid the stems are, it can hold as an upright shrub. I do this with Westerland, for instance, and bring it down to about 3ft annually.

[@wendymuir7818]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you!

[@nancysewell769]

Can't see the carbide sharpener as it's underneath the captions.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Nancy. You should be able to turn the captions on or off as you prefer - they're not built into the video but rather one of the viewer settings on KZbin.

[@teresamcdaniel1989]

My knockout roses are woody and congested. Could I just cut them down to 18 inches and let them go. That is what my rosebush looks like overgrown 8ft

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes. That's the treatment the Knockout people recommend: a low annual pruning in the late winter or early spring after the risk of damaging frost.

[@teresamcdaniel1989]

Thank you Jason I love to watch your program it’s so helpful.

[@ninabennett6822]

Can you buy roses from you

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Nina. Yes, we're still offering a smaller assortment through our online store for local pickup. We'll be adding more in March for both local pickup and for shipping (smaller roses) in Canada

[@ninabennett6822]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I am in MA. Our autumn is starting..I prefer spring ...thank you

[@yonokzeller5402]

👍🏽💪🏼👏🏾🙏

[@dankeil4470]

I would wear safety glasses. A rose scratched my eye. It isn't fun!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the tip Dan - not fun to take a rose prickle in the eye!

[@shortnsweet5995]

Well they look dead

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

That's how they look when they're dormant - but if you're concerned about it, there are some other "clues" you can look for: if the stems are brittle when you try to cut, they could be dead. If the stems are black, grey or pale brown, with no white or green pith, that's a bad sign. If the buds are shrunken and black (this can be a tough one to assess, but live buds are generally plump and maybe even beginning to turn red at this time of year). When in doubt, scrape the skin of the stem, and look for the layer beneath it - you should look for a pale green color. I have a whole other video on how to determine if a shrub is dead or just dormant: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp-9kmCldq-Wesk

[@shortnsweet5995]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm ok