August 3, 2001, Newsletter Issue #37: Summer Pruning

Tip of the Week

Why Remove Faded Blooms?
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Removing the faded blooms on roses is not just for cosmetic purposes, it actively encourages the stems to produce strong new shoots that will carry the next flush of flowers.
Any plant`s main aim in life is to reproduce itself and Roses especially, if allowed to set seed will stop flowering.
Cut off the forming seeds,(the rose hips), and the plant will try again to flower and set seed.

Where On The Stem Should I Cut?
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It is not enough to simply pull the rose hip off. The dormant shoot buds are located where the leaves join to the stem, this is where you should cut.
You will notice that the first few leaves, below the faded bloom are in threes, follow the stem down to the first set of five or more leaflets.
Using a pair of sharp secateurs, make a cut just above this leaf sloping away from it.

What About Cluster Flowered Floribundas?
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Normally the central flower in a cluster,(or truss) of roses blooms a few days in advance of the surrounding buds.
Naturally, as this bloom loses its petals, it will be the first to need to be removed. As subsequent blooms in the cluster fade, remove them with a short stem to allow the rest of the buds to open unhindered.
When all the blooms in the cluster are over, remove it entirely down to the first leaf with five leaflets.

Are All Roses Summer Pruned In This Manner?
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All hybrid teas, floribundas, miniatures, patio, new english,climbersand most shrub roses can be summer pruned using the same principal.
Notable exceptions are shrub roses, such as Rosa moyesii & Rosa rugosa, which are grown for their ornamental rosehips.

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