When to prune roses

I've got a few rose bushes next to the driveway. For the last few years they have been quite low level (short) and negleted. Last autumn I pruned them quite a lot and had been deadheading over the summer too.

As a result, they are thriving (no roses yet, but lots of small buds), but 2 or 3 of the rose bushes have branches nearly on ground level and will be trailing all over the floor. Obviously I would like to train the bush to be more upright.

Will I do any harm if I start cutting off low level branches this time of year?:cnfs:

 

I know that over here in Canada, you prune first thing in the spring, and it all depends on your growing season, and what kind of rose it is, example, climbers, ramblers, hybrids, modern roses.....the person to better answer you would be Wiseoldowl.....sorry i couldnt be more help.

 

Thanks, I will do 'tidy up' !

 

I'm no expert, but I was always taught that hybrid tea, floribunda, ground cover and patio roses should be pruned mid Spring (round about the 3rd week in March), ramblers in late summer and only climbers in the autumn. I agree with wiseoldowl though, a bit of tidying up shouldn't do any harm.

Just a BTW - are you sure that the 'branches' near the ground are actually part of your roses rather than just suckers?

 

The danger of pruning roses this late in the year is that you'll end up with few flowers. But old dead wood can be removed, but new growth should be left where possible.

 

I'm showing my lack of knowledge now, what are suckers?

These low 'branches' are actually in flower or with little buds now does that help?

 

Wow! Thanks for the explanation and the picture. They are definitely branches from above the bud union as they are all above the ground, but it's great to learn new things. Occasionally, I have seen a little shoot growing from under the ground and I was always quite pleased, but now I will look at it with a bit more experience.

 

Jings Roses, well I wouldn't prune in June.
Should have been done long since.
I was brought up in the tradition - get your worst enemy to prune for you. Chop them to the ground early spring.
I've never had that kind of courage. I tend to go for BIT OF THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE.
Appliance of science says it doesn't matter how you prune the roses - as long as you do !
Early spring chop them down - and let them get on with it. That what seems to matter.

 

It matters how you prune roses.


If you wish to remove the growth that you may never want-ie the long branches that hang over the edge of a path etc then you can do so at any time.

 

With respect WOO. I would say that most of our gardeners on here have Saturday afternoon to spare and one more Rose pointing this way or that doesn't matter diddlysquat to them, or the display they will get.
In general I would stick to my advice - it doesn't matter how roses are pruned - as long as they are !

 

Hi Lollipop, are you talking about ramblers ?
Now that is a different matter - and I do think it matters when you prune them.
Quite a lot of work there - and I don't grow them anymore.