Why do roses bloom smaller and smaller?

Someone asked, why do their roses bloom smaller and smaller? One very likely reason is the lack of pruning. Of course, correct pruning is needed, you cannot just do it randomly!

Pruning garden roses:

First, let us talk about general garden roses, which include the garden roses most people grow, including large-flowered hybrid tea roses, large-flowered climbing roses, and floribunda roses.

Pruning this type of rose has two aspects. One is after flowering: the flowering branches should be pruned back to leave only two to three buds, roughly four to five inches. (The so-called buds are the places where new branches grow.)

I. How to prune

Because rose flowers grow on newly grown branches and stems, if you do not prune, there will be no new branches, so how can new roses grow? If new rose flowers are forced out through a gap on an old branch, they will of course be small and unattractive.

As for pruning back to leave only two or three buds, that is just a principle. It is best to choose a bud that faces outward, because the new branch will then grow outward, so the leaves receive more sunlight, and it also avoids branches and stems crossing each other as they grow.

Another important pruning task must be done in early spring, when roses are still dormant and have not yet sprouted. In the warm subtropical south it is about March, and in the cold northern regions it is about April or May. This pruning is very important.

If you do not prune, last year's old branches are still there, and new branches cannot grow, so this year's flowering will be very poor.

Early spring pruning means cutting all branches back to leave only 2 to 4 buds, and cutting about 1 cm above an outward-facing bud. After pruning this way once, this year's branches will be completely new, and rose flowers blooming on such new branches will certainly be large and beautiful.

II. Pruning climbing roses

Climbing roses used to be divided into old garden roses and modern roses, but in the current market the former are becoming fewer and fewer, and almost everyone grows climbing roses.

1. Pruning old climbing roses:

This type blooms only once a year. Pruning this type is relatively easy, and generally no heavy pruning is needed. You only need to:

In spring, cut away dead old branches, or any old and diseased branches you see, either from where they grow or from the base.

Every few years, cut away branches that are too long, and just maintain the tree shape you like.

Some people do extra work and, after the flowering period, cut all the branches that have already flowered by about two-thirds of their length, so that new flowers bloom on new branches.

For roses that have grown for many years, if you see too many old branches from the base, you can cut these old branches away from the base, which encourages new healthy branches to grow.

2. Pruning modern climbing roses:

Do not prune heavily for the first three years. The goal is only to let them grow taller and produce long climbing branches. At the same time, help them attach to the trellis.

Roses do not climb naturally, so you need to use ties to help them attach. (The best ties are used women's stockings, cut into thin strips. They are the softest and will not damage the branches and stems.) If you do not do this in the first two or three years, it will be very difficult to control later.

During this time, cut the side branches back by about one-third to one-half their length each year, to encourage more side branch growth.

After three years, you must from time to time cut away dead, old, weak and diseased branches. This type of branch should be cut from where it grows, or even from the ground. Keep about 5 to 6 healthy long branches.

Whenever you cut a branch from the ground, always check whether the cut is flat and has left a spot that will collect water. That is very dangerous. As long as a cut branch becomes a water-collecting point, it may attract insects or grow mold, and it must be eliminated.

Notes:

For climbing roses that bloom only once a year, you must prune immediately after the flowers fade. If you prune too late, you will cut off next year's flower buds, and there will be no flowers next year. (This is the same principle as pruning many perennial flowers.)

For this type of rose, cutting back by about one-quarter of the length is enough to grow new branches and produce next year's flowers.

For climbing roses that bloom several times a year, it is best to remove the flower heads after the flowers fade, and even better if you can cut off part of the flower stem, because that way new flowers can continue to bloom.

If you do not cut off the flower heads, the plant will develop seed pods and set seed. It will not try to produce new flowers. But if you cut off a section of flower stem, new flowers will grow on new flower stems, rather than on old branches with only a short stem left.

However, what is said above is a principle and a reason. General climbing roses are relatively tall and have many flowers, so it is hard to remove every flower one by one, and there is no need to insist on it. The good thing is that new climbing roses have been improved and will bloom again and again even without deadheading.

Pruning climbing roses requires a ladder, which is tiring and dangerous. It is best to buy a long-handled pair of shears. Large flower shops will have shears specially made for pruning tall branches, and you can buy a pair according to your situation.

3. Pruning shrub roses:

Most shrub roses need only very light pruning, but pruning once a year not only keeps the tree shape neat and beautiful, it also helps the plant be healthier and have better flowering.

A basic pruning principle: if your shrub rose looks old and weak and flowers poorly, you can cut one or two of the oldest branches from the ground. This will stimulate new branches to grow from the ground.

If you do this every year, you can also gradually replace the old with the new.

Because there are many kinds of shrub roses and their flowering times differ, some bloom only once a year and some bloom multiple times, so the pruning methods are naturally different. In addition, whether they are grown as a single specimen, as a hedge, or as a climbing rose, the pruning methods are also different.

III. Shrub roses that bloom only once a year

Most flowers of this type of shrub rose bloom on old branches, so it is best to prune at the end of summer, when the flowering period ends. When pruning shrub roses, there is also no need for heavy pruning.

Basic principles: cut away dead branches, diseased branches and broken branches. On the other hand, cut away branches that grow crossing each other, so that the middle is opened up to let more sunlight reach every branch.

IV. Shrub roses that bloom multiple times

This type can be pruned at the end of winter, that is, in early spring. In the warm south it is about February, and in the colder north it is about March or April. At this time you can cut branches back by about one-third of their length, and cut side branches back to leave about 2 to 3 buds.

Also, to renew the plant, for older trees you can cut one or two of the oldest branches from the ground to stimulate new branches to grow.

For shrub roses that bloom several times a year, it is best to cut off the flower heads after the flowers fade, or cut the flowers for a vase, because this can also stimulate more new flowers.

V. Introduction to pruning methods

Always prune at a 45-degree angle, so that water does not collect on the cut surface. When pruning roses, you must cut about one centimeter above a bud. As shown in the picture above, the left cut is too high, and the middle cut is too low. The right one is just right. The topmost bud is the place where a new branch grows.

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