Roses require pruning to maintain a tidy appearance, for increased air circulation, and to control habit. Pruning methods vary according to the rose type. In Southeast Texas, roses usually are cut back severely due to our longer growing season (plantingtree.com).
By John Green, Texas Certified Expert Gardener, Orange TX
February always seems to be difficult month (like a cantankerous child, unpredictable and moody), making it difficult for gardeners everywhere and SETX is no exception. Our weather patterns have been balmy since winter storm Enzo visited, and if you’re like me, “lulled” into falsely believing spring might have arrived early this year. This isn’t the first time I’ve ‘rationalized’ Springs’ early arrival (probably won’t be the last either)! It does create more work however, as temperature sensitive plants must be returned to protected areas.
This month is the time of year to begin pruning tasks throughout the garden, following a planned approach. Let’s start by defining the term pruning. From a gardeners’ perspective…pruning is the removal or reduction of plant parts that are no longer required or functioning by the plant. Pruning allows the plants energy to be optimized, helping it to produce flowers, fruit, and limbs. Overall plant health, landscape aesthetic, and value improves by way of ‘effective’ pruning.
Before gardeners start pruning, the first step (before the 1st cut) is developing a ‘pruning’ plan for each tree, shrub, or rose. The pruning ‘plan’ must be “reasonable” (plants suffer from too many arbitrary cuts) with consideration before cutting begins. Gardeners, this means you should have an idea of the finished outcome (shape) before removing any plant material. Make pruning cuts in a specified order to reduce the total number of cuts needed. Always begin by cutting back diseased, broken, dead, and crossed limbs to a sturdy lateral branch. Removing damaged or diseased material will often open the canopy sufficiently mitigating further pruning.
The next pruning step is to make ‘training’ cuts that are needed. Cutting lateral branches back to allow the tree, shrub, or rose as it is “trained” to develop the desired shape, fill an ‘open’ area in the canopy, or to restrict growth to maintain boundary (size). Proper training includes understanding the plants’ growth habit. Avoid spoiling the natural growth habit when pruning trees, shrubs, and roses, noting that over time plants will continue a more natural growth habit needing correction.
Corrective pruning is needed to eliminate weak and narrow forks (crotches), or to remove multiple leaders to the strongest (most prominent leader). Once cuts are made, take a few moments to survey the cuts to determine if more corrective pruning is necessary. It is sometimes better to extend the pruning plan over more than one season if a large amount of material must be removed. Suckers (water sprouts) should always be removed.
Best Time to Prune
Contrary to popular “gardening” beliefs, pruning can be accomplished during any season; however, there are recommended times which vary by plant species. While I’m at it, let me dispel another gardening myth: pruning at the wrong time of the year does not kill plants! Let it be known that continual improper pruning results in damaged or weakened plants, such as when people improperly prune Crape Myrtles. Seasonal pruning should be performed to minimize plant damage such as during dormancy for deciduous trees, shrubs, and roses…never at the pruner’s convenience! As a (general) rule, the best time to prune most plants is during late winter into early spring before growth begins. The least desirable time to prune is after new growth develops in the spring.
My recommendation is to limit the amount of late summer pruning, since new growth may be encouraged on some plants and the new growth might not have sufficient time to ‘harden off’ before winter weather arrives. This can result in excessive winter damage, requiring more extensive spring pruning.
Types of Pruning Equipment
Utilizing the correct pruning equipment is necessary to maintain healthy plants. Select tools which can do the job, maintain a sharp edge (are easy to sharpen), and ergonomic making them easy to handle. Sturdy equipment which is well-cared for performs better and will last for many years when stored properly (dry), oiled, and clean. Disinfect all pruning equipment before each use, between cuts, and when moving from plant to plant which will minimize the spread of disease to healthy plants.
Use isopropyl alcohol or a bleach solution (9:1 ratio water to bleach) to disinfect equipment between each cut using a spray bottle when pruning diseased plants. Once pruning is completed wash pruning equipment with soap and water, then immediately disinfect the tools. After the pruning equipment has dried, apply oil to the tools to minimize rusting.
- Hand pruners (pruning shears) are designed for cutting stems up to ½-inch diameter. Struggling to cut larger branches risks damaging the plant as it will make a poor cut and most often will ruin the shears (speaking from experience). The two most common styles of hand shears are the scissor action, and the anvil cut. Scissor action shears have thin, sharp blade slides which make clean cuts and usually cost more than anvil shears. Anvil cut shears have a sharpened blade which cuts against a broad, flat blade.
- Lopping shears (loppers) have long handles that are operated using both hands. Less expensive loppers can remove material up to ½-inch in diameter, and more expensive ones can remove branches up to 2-inches in diameter or more depending on plant variety and dead vs live wood.
- Pole pruners typically have one hooked blade above with a cutting blade beneath. The cutter is on a pole which is operated by pulling a rope downward. Poles can be made of various materials that can be in sections fitted together or which telescope. Wooden poles are sturdy though heavy (exhausting to use), whereas aluminum poles are light weight but conductive if an electrical line is inadvertently touched! Fiberglass and other composites are most likely the best pole materials of choice.
Flowering Shrubs
Wounds heal rapidly when cuts are made clean and smooth which requires sharp pruning equipment. It is important not to leave remnants (stubs) which will die back and to avoid tearing the bark when removing larger branches. Always cut back to an intersecting branch and cut at a 45-degree angle.
Recommended pruning for most deciduous shrubs involves gradual renewal (thinning) and revival pruning. Thinning is where branches are cut off to the point of origin of the parent stem or to ground level. This pruning approach creates a more open plant yet does so without excessive new growth. Plants can be restricted (maintained) at a prescribed height and width for many years by thinning. It is best to use hand pruning shears, or loppers. Always thin the oldest and tallest stems first.
The renewal pruning approach removes a few of the oldest and tallest branches just above ground level annually. Some thinning might be needed to shorten long branches or to maintain plant symmetry. Rejuvenation of an older, overgrown shrub can be accomplished by removing approximately 1/3 of the oldest and tallest branches (at or slightly above ground level) before new growth starts.
Roses
Roses require pruning to maintain a tidy appearance, for increased air circulation, and to control habit. Pruning methods vary according to the rose type. In Southeast Texas, roses usually are cut back severely due to our longer growing season. For me, spring pruning is severe to maintain rose boundaries and due to our extended growing season. As a rule, I typically prune roses the 2nd week in February (Valentine’s day makes the rule easy to remember). Note that it doesn’t take much warm weather for roses to break dormancy (a few warm weeks in January or February). If pruning is completed too soon (new growth begins at the base of the plant) so when a late February (or March) cold snap occurs they can be severely damage or killed. If pruning is delayed, new growth will still be at the top of the unpruned canes and only upper the portions of the bush will be damaged. Rule exception: climbing roses need to be pruned after flowering in early spring.
Fundamental practices of pruning roses, regardless of type:
- remove canes which have been damaged by insects, diseases or weather
- prune crossed or canes rubbing each other
- spindly canes (smaller than the diameter of a pencil) should be removed
- cut hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras back to 12-inches for the largest flowers and 18 to 24-inches for a plethora of smaller sized flowers
- climbing roses are pruned to renew plant vigor by removing the old canes, newer canes produce more growth and flowers.
- climbing rose canes become long, prune them back to maintain boundaries
- antique (old-fashioned) roses require much less pruning than modern roses.
- antique roses naturally have a rounded growth habit, pruning should be limited to shaping, removal of damaged canes, and prudently trimming to encourage growth
- Flower cutting is a form of pruning.
Until next time fellow gardeners, let’s go out and ‘prune’ ourselves a greener and more sustainable world, one plant at a time! Please send your gardening questions to: jongreene57@gmail.com
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