Linda a bout pruning plants

nempark
nempark Member Posts: 681
Hi Linda: Hope you are doing well, from one of your latest posts, I see you being very well and positive. Could you please let me know when is the best time to prune my roses. I also have an apple and pear tree that they both blossom and have an abundance of small fruit but they all drop off when their are about the side of a tennis ball. Help!!! I am in New Jersey. Be well and thank you.

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    Roses get pruned in the spring, when the forsythia blooms.
    Roses are one of those plants that responds to pruning by sending up new shoots, so you don't want to prune them this late in the season because the new growth will get frost-killed and weaken the plant. Instead, you want to prune your roses in the early spring just as soon as you are pretty sure you won't get any more hard frosts. When you see the forsythia blooming in your region, that's the best time to prune roses. You want to cut off all of the OLDEST looking canes, right down to the ground, leaving the young green canes; and also cut off all canes that cross and rub against other canes since that causes 'wounds' that weaken your plant. Because roses grow so much every summer, you will probably want to shorten all the canes you allow to remain to no mpore than 3' each. Then all summer long, as each bloom cluster fades, if you cut that dead bloom cluster off by looking down that cane and cutting just above a 5-leaf stem, that will encourage additional blooming. If you stop doing that in October, most roses will form beautiful rose hips where each bloom was that look pretty in winter.

    It's best to prune fruit trees (and flowering ornamental treess and shrubs like rhododendrum and azaleas) right after thee fruits or blooms fall. My fall pruning is Rose of Sharons, spice bush, spireas, stuff like that.
  • nempark
    nempark Member Posts: 681

    Roses get pruned in the spring, when the forsythia blooms.
    Roses are one of those plants that responds to pruning by sending up new shoots, so you don't want to prune them this late in the season because the new growth will get frost-killed and weaken the plant. Instead, you want to prune your roses in the early spring just as soon as you are pretty sure you won't get any more hard frosts. When you see the forsythia blooming in your region, that's the best time to prune roses. You want to cut off all of the OLDEST looking canes, right down to the ground, leaving the young green canes; and also cut off all canes that cross and rub against other canes since that causes 'wounds' that weaken your plant. Because roses grow so much every summer, you will probably want to shorten all the canes you allow to remain to no mpore than 3' each. Then all summer long, as each bloom cluster fades, if you cut that dead bloom cluster off by looking down that cane and cutting just above a 5-leaf stem, that will encourage additional blooming. If you stop doing that in October, most roses will form beautiful rose hips where each bloom was that look pretty in winter.

    It's best to prune fruit trees (and flowering ornamental treess and shrubs like rhododendrum and azaleas) right after thee fruits or blooms fall. My fall pruning is Rose of Sharons, spice bush, spireas, stuff like that.

    Thanks linda
    ooops!! Almost pruned the rose bushes. Be Well! June