Some roses need pruning in the spring and others later in the year. Follow our guide and you can grow the best roses ever - the aim is to improve flowering, to maintain an attractive shape and to keep plants healthy.
What to do
- Prune roses with a slanting cut, directly above an outward facing bud - the cut should slope away from the bud.
- With all plants, start by removing dead, diseased or dying branches.
- Prune shrub roses in mid-spring. Remove about a quarter of growth and any old branches causing congestion.
- Prune bush roses in mid-spring. These can be pruned quite hard, reducing plants by up to a half or to within 8cm (3in) of the previous year's growth.
- Prune climbers in autumn as flowers fade. Cut side branches to leave two leaf buds and tie in new shoots. If the plant is heavily congested, select a few old, woody branches and cut to the base.
- Prune ramblers in late summer, cutting back any branches that have flowered to leave two buds. Relieve congestion by removing any old branches if necessary. Tie in new shoots.
- Ground cover roses only need pruning in spring to keep within bounds. If an old plant is heavily congested, remove a few thick or crossing branches.
- After pruning mulch well with a thick layer of well-rotted manure or bark chippings.
- Unless growing for hips, deadhead flowers as they fade.
