Now is the time to prune your hybrid tee roses. By pruning you will have larger and more beautiful roses and a much healthier plant. Photo 1 shows a typical rose plant ready for pruning. Notice how gangly it looks. You should cut the plant back to where the canes are 12 to 18 inches in length. Choose the five or six canes that are the most vigorous and remove the others. Photo 2 shows a properly pruned rose plant.
Do not fertilize at this time. The plant is dormant and you do not want to stimulate plant growth.
Floribunda and Grandiflora roses are ‘bush’ type roses. These plants should be pruned for shape only. In most conditions these plants should be about 24” in diameter and 36-48” tall.
If you want to add to your rose collection, January is the best month to plant roses. Most nurseries will stock their bare root plants and you will have the best selection of different varieties. Laguna Hills Nursery has one of the best selection of bare root roses as well as knowledgeable staff to answer your questions and give you advice.
One of our favorites is the hybrid tee, Peace. Read the beautiful story of this rose in our archives.
