Is this how they're supposed to look?

16 years ago

Hello, everyone, and happy Spring!

It's that time again when i start to pester you all with my incessant "nooby" rose questions. I took the tantalizing weather of President's day as a prompt to prune. I was mostly following my instincts, along with the "leave 1/3 remaining" rule. My questions are:

Did i prune them too early?

Did i prune them too much?

What, if anything, should i spray on them now to prevent disease?

Also, i have three carpet roses that i'm not sure how to manage. The tiny bushes are a mix of new growth, old buds that never bloomed, and foliage both healthy and spotty. Will nature take its course with these, or should i "sheer" them with those long-beaked scissor trimmers?

I'm a boob, i know. Thank you all for bearing with me ...

Isn't it great to be outside again?

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Comments (8)

sunnishine
16 years ago
We had a local meeting this past weekend and they taught us how to prune roses at our local Botanical garden. Then we got to go help prune their 3 acres of roses. It was lots of fun!

give the carpet roses a haircut...

most look great...the middle one looks like it may have some branches crossing, get rid of those...

I can't tell about the outside or inside buds of course...

I live in 7b or 8a depending on the map and we were told not to prune until march 1st unless you had a lot to do. If there is a freeze you may loose the top bud.

HTH

Sunni
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karl_bapst_rosenut
16 years ago
I don't know what part of Southwest Washington you are located so I can't refer you to a particular rose society in your area but if you go to the link below and scroll down to Washington, there are a number of roses societies that should be able to give you the best advice as to the proper pruning time and method in your area. One may be close enough for hands on or personal instructions.

Here is a link that might be useful: ARS Pacific Northwest Rose Societies
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kathwhit
16 years ago
I am in Oregon in Zone 8 and I pruned my roses this weekend. Usually we prune around presidents day, or when the forsythia blooms. I also took advantage of the nice weather. Your roses look just fine. You probably could have cut off some of the smaller branches (smaller than a pencil) but we learn from experience, and you really can't hurt them. The height looks fine.

Now you can spray them with Lime/sulpher and horticultural oil if you want. I mix the lime/sulfer and oil at dormant strength (on the bottle) and spray within the next week if you can. You want to spray before leaves start to form, because the dormant spray will kill new growth. The dormant spray kills fungus spores and the oil smothers insect eggs that may overwinter. If you don't get around to spraying the dormant spray, wait until they start leafing out and start spraying for fungus. I start in late March.
Good luck
Kathy
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debnfla8b
16 years ago
Oh gosh!!! I say they look great!!! Wonderful job pruning. Give yourself a big pat on the back for a job well done!

Deb
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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
16 years ago
What's that plant right in the corner by the rain gutter?

The roses look great.
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estreya
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks so much for your feedback, everyone!

Sunni, i was totally unaware of the "outside" versus "inside" bud issue. I cut with height and symmetry as my sole considerations. I'll inspect them today to fix whatever errors i might have made. Is it safe to assume i want to cut just above an "outside" bud so it branches outward, rather than in towards the center?

And can i literally just "sheer" the carpet roses with my hedge scissors? Do i have to pluck off all that tiny foliage?

Hoovb, that vine on the iron support is a clematis armandii, and it seems quite robust. I'm going to have to figure out how to make a more elaborate trellis system for that corner so it can be used to greater advantage.

Thank you again, everyone! Happy gardening!
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Jean Marion (z6a Idaho)
16 years ago
Everything looks great... as long as there aren't any leaves left on the bushes or on the ground, that's the best prevention for disease...

I started pruning this weekend, hopefully I'll be done by April...
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katefisher
16 years ago
Your roses look so good! I remember how pretty and healthy they were last year after you got them planted. I bet this is going to be a great rose growing year for you. Looking forward to more pictures once they start to leaf out and bloom. All your canes just look so green and happy.

Kate
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