Prune roses soon to reinvigorate plants and promote fall blooms

As we enter the waning days of summer, many of our plants are just plain tired after enduring months of heat — and they’re showing it.

Roses are no exception. They tend to get a bit leggy and overgrown this time of year, and you’ve probably noticed their blooms are smaller and less colorful. There’s an easy fix, though, and now is the time to do it.

We’re talking about pruning — trimming away excess growth to shape plants and control their size as well as removing dead and damaged canes. Doing so will refresh your rose bushes and encourage a burst of flowers this fall. It also increases airflow in plants, which helps ward off diseases.

You can rejuvenate tired-looking roses and help them get ready for fall blooms by pruning them in late summer. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

You need to make sure to prune roses by about Sept. 8. Why is it important to meet this deadline? When roses are pruned, a growth response is triggered, kickstarting new leaf and branch development and the blooming process. About 45 days after pruning, the plants will be in full bloom.

You can take advantage of this cycle and time your pruning so plants bloom when you want them to. Pruning now will lead to a mid-October bloom — which is ideal because roses look their best during the cooler nights and drier weather typical of those early fall days.

Before you get started, you’ll want to check what kind of roses you have. Many everblooming roses commonly grown in Louisiana — including hybrid tea, grandiflora and shrub roses — will benefit from being pruned in late August and early September.

But stay away from once-blooming types such as old garden roses and climbing cultivars, or you’ll risk having fewer blooms next year. Once-blooming roses usually don’t require as much pruning, and when it’s needed, it should be done in early summer after the annual bloom.

The pruning process

First, you’ll need some bypass pruners. If your rose bushes are older, you may need a pair of loppers to be able to chop off larger canes. The blades should be sharp. Dull pruners and loppers won’t make clean cuts, impeding healing and inviting insects and diseases to take up residence.

It’s a good idea to sanitize pruners and loppers to avoid spreading diseases to other plants. Clean the tools before and after your pruning job with a 10% bleach or rubbing alcohol solution, then dry thoroughly to prevent rust. If you notice something that looks like a disease problem while pruning a rose bush, sanitize your tools before moving on to the next plant.

Finally, you may want to wear gloves and long sleeves to avoid getting poked by thorns.

Start by getting rid of dead canes along with any that look damaged, weak, yellow or spindly. Remove each of these canes entirely, making the cut at its point of origin.

Next, trim any shoots that are much taller than the overall plant. Then, begin cutting and shaping everything else. You can prune off up to one-third of the height of the plant; be careful to not exceed this amount. Always cut stems right above a node.

While you’re at it, consider making a light application of fertilizer to help your roses through the last days of summer and to fuel them up for fall bloom production. You also could replenish the mulch around your rose bushes to retain moisture and insulate the roots as cooler temperatures approach.

If your roses need more extreme pruning — for example, if they’re way bigger than you would like, even after taking off one-third of the height — you can tackle them again in January and February. Another round of pruning in late winter is recommended anyway, as it will help prepare plants for spring and summer blooms.