Video:How to Prune Roses

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Transcript:How to Prune Roses

Hi, I'm Natasha Levitan for About.com. Taking proper care of roses allows us to shape our garden with beautiful long stems. One of the most important jobs is pruning.

When to Prune Roses

Why do we prune roses? Proper pruning creates healthy beautiful roses by removing dead, diseased, or damaged canes.

The roses should be pruned in the winter and in the fall. In the winter, you should prune the roses when the buds start to appear, and in the fall, prune roses lightly on top so the rain can drain off the stem.

Pruning will also prevent the possibility of the roots being loosened as a result of strong winds. It speeds up growth of the healthy branches.

Supplies Needed to Prune Roses

For your materials, you will need:

• garden gloves
• sharp pruning shears
• glue

Tips for Cutting Stems

All stems should be cut to about half their height. Each cut should be made at about a 45 degree angle. Make all cuts above a leaf bud that points towards the outside of the plant.

Make all cuts clean. Try not to make any ragged cuts, as this will allow insects and disease into the plant and open it up to infection.

Prune a Healthy Bud

Always prune to a healthy bud. Make sure your cut is at a 45 degree angle going away from the bud. A good distance is about 1/4 inch above the growth bud.

Use the whole of the blade to get a clean cut. To stop the bare stem from dying, cut the stem a few millimeters above a side shoot.

Remove Dead Stems

Look out for any dry, brown stems that don't have any green shoots, as these will be diseased or dead. These should be cut at the base of the stem to prevent the spread of disease

Seal All Pruning Cuts

You should paint all cuts with a sealing compound like glue because when the plant is not actively growing, it can't defend itself as well against diseases and pests.

Even if you don't prune correctly, you will be fortunate to know that roses are resilient. As long as you keep your roses healthy, you can prune again next year and try something different.

Thank you for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at homegarden.about.com.