8 Steps To Pruning Your Roses For More Blooms This Summer

The seasons change, and so does your garden routine, especially if you want your roses to keep blooming all summer. Roses are a beautiful addition to any garden, and pruning them is easy once you know how. Read on for eight simple steps to make your roses bloom beautifully this summer.

1. Set a Pruning Schedule

Plan a day that aligns with your watering routine. Water your roses two to three times a week, lightly pouring water as the topsoil dries. Prune in the morning to reduce heat stress on your roses.

2. Prepare Your Tools

Gather your bypass pruning shears, gardening gloves, and protect yourself with a long-sleeved shirt or working jeans. Have a sanitizing solution for your pruning shears to keep them clean.

3. Sanitize Your Tools

Disinfect your pruners before and after each cut to prevent disease transmission between plants.

4. Remove Dead Blooms

Trim dead and spent blooms at a 45-degree angle, about 1/4 inch above a bud facing away from the plant to prevent water accumulation.

5. Trim Dead or Woody Canes

Remove dead, dying, or diseased branches, including twiggy canes thinner than a pencil, with a 45-degree angle cut.

6. Cut Off Sucker Growth

Using precise pruning shears, prune suckers growing below the bud union to redirect energy back to flowering canes.

7. Reduce Bush Size

Trim the top one-third of your rose bush to enhance shape and allow light and air circulation. Optionally, remove tall branches by cutting at the same angle.

8. Seal Pruned Parts

Seal major cuts with a wound sealer or glue to prevent fungi, insects, and bacteria. Apply with a small paintbrush or a gloved/clean finger.

Pruning your rose bushes is as easy as following these eight simple steps. With the right tools and a little care, you'll enjoy a garden full of vibrant blooms all summer long!