When to Prune Roses

When you prune the roses

• The roses are pruned in the period just before the vegetative restart (semi-dormancy) which, in the regions of Northern Italy, translates into the period of late January and throughout February.
• Reorganization pruning can be practiced in early autumn, slightly shortening the vegetation, especially in very vigorous and disordered varieties.
• In places where the vegetation and flowering is almost continuous, it is still advisable to intervene in the cooler periods in order to induce the plant to dormancy.
• For warm-loving species and varieties (Tea, Chinese, Noisette, Bancksiae, Gigantea and their hybrids), brave green pruning can be practiced even after the first flowering.
• In sheltered and protected places and where there are microclimates, it is possible to prune even in the middle of winter or as soon as the minimum conditions have been reached to induce the plant to dormancy (average temperatures below 10 ° C).

When Roses Are Not Pruned

• Roses should not be pruned in the active growth phase, i.e. in the phase that goes from budding to the formation of new shoots and leaves.
• They should never be pruned in conditions of intense frost, both because the bud below the cut could die, and because the plant, not being in activity, would not be able to heal the wounds.
• During periods of extreme heat, cutting the vegetation of the plants too much can favor the burning of the branches that were less exposed to the sun.

Why are roses pruned?

• To accelerate the development of new vigorous and healthy shoots to replace old and weakened ones.
• Facilitate the circulation of air inside the vegetation, to prevent the onset of diseases.
• To get a plant in harmonious shape and encourage flowering throughout the season.