If you want your roses to thrive this year, there’s something you shouldn’t be putting off (stock) (Image: Getty)
With spring just around the corner, those with gardens are going to want to make sure they’ve done all they can to make sure it thrives.
Michael, a brand ambassador for Dobbies who shares tips and tutorials online, recently told his followers that there’s one job you shouldn’t put off if you want your roses to bloom this year. Taking to , he shared: “If you want more blooms on your roses this year, it’s time to give them a prune now.”
How to prune roses
He then went on to explain the five essential things you need to do. Firstly, you need to prune the deadwood. “Generally speaking, brown or black is dead, green is living,” he continued. “Cut any deadwood back to the base.”
Then you’re going to want to “open up the centre” of the roses by cutting off “any crossing branches that can rub, causing damage and encouraging disease”.
:
Next gardeners should consider “removing thin or weak growth” from the roses. He continued: “Remove any canes thinner thinne than a pencil. These will grow gangly and produce few blossoms.”
Once you’ve done this, you’ll want to “prune the remaining canes”. To do this, simply “take the overall height down by one-third, cutting just above an outward facing but, on a 45-degree angle, sloping away from the bud”, the expert explained.
When you do this, the new stems will grow in the direction of the bud. “And the goal is to encourage them to grow outwards,” Michael added. Lastly, roses are “big eaters”, so you’re going to want to give them and mulch in the spring.
When to prune roses
Replying to people in the comment section asking when is the best time to prune roses, Michael replied: “February is the time to prune.”
, Michael clarified: “Now is the time to start pruning roses and climbing roses, but not ramblers, as they’re pruned in late summer.”
Late winter (February or March), is a good time to prune – which involves cutting them back to encourage new growth. According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), cuts should be no more than 5mm above a bud, and should slope downwards away from it.
He added: “Don’t forget you can propagate new roses from the leftover hard wood cuttings.”