The rose family are a most valuable group of flowering plants, and with such a wide choice of colors, forms and habits can be found to suit most situations.
Probably the most commonly grown rose's are the hybrid teas and floribundas as these produce compact bushes covered with blooms. Dead heading in summer will encourage a second flush of flower later in the year, while winter pruning promotes the new growth to carry next season's bloom.
Climbing rose's have a vigorous habit and make ideal wall plants. Wires should be fastened to the wall onto which stem's can be trained.
Ramblers look more at home in borders or island beds where they can be left to roam. They do take up quite a lot of space.
Standard rose's whether of a hybrid tea or weeping habit add height and interest to island beds. These can be under planted with other roses, or a mixture of ground cover plants.
Secateurs are an essential tool for rose pruning as a clean cut, correctly positioned and sloping slightly away from the bud is very important. Blunt secateurs will perform badly, tearing and crushing stems and causing die back.
Regular feeding as well as prompt attention to pest and disease control will reward you with the best blooms.
Hybrid tea roses spring pruning in late February or March cut strong shoots back to a bud about 9 inches from the ground leaving 4 to 6 buds on the stem and weaker shoots back to about 6 inches leaving 2 to 4 buds.
Aim to produce a bush with a balanced shape and open to it.
Floribunda roses These are vigorous roses and the aim of pruning is to encourage a succession of strong replacement shoots to form.
Prune old shoots back to about 6 inches above ground 3 to 5 buds and new shoots back by a third. Cut lateral shoots back to about 2 to 3 buds .
Keep centre of the bush open. Hard pruning encourages new basal shoots to form. light pruning promotes flowering.
Pruning Climbing roses growth should be tied in and twined around the post as it develops.
Summer pruning involves dead heading the rose and cutting back flowered shoots and any out of place or diseased growth.
Fall pruning follows about November cutting back some of the leaders and trimming side shoots down to about 2 to 3 buds from their base.
The flowers are best displayed on a well structured symmetrical plant, so when carrying out pruning stand back and take a look from a distance to be sure the resulting pillar has a balanced form.
Roses are usually budded onto a wild rose root stock. Shoots growing from this are called suckers.
When these form scrape away the soil and trace the sucker back to the root. Tear away the sucker and replace soil.
choosing the correct pruning tools for the job at hand is important. Strong secateurs will produce the right cut for best results every time.
