Caring for Roses in Winter

By: Joy Sailor

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” wrote William Shakespeare.  The question is how do we keep them coming back smelling that sweet every year?  Pruning is the key to success.  All trees and shrubs need pruning to help them come back vibrant the next year.  Pruning does more than just cut off dead limbs; it helps reduce fungus, gets rid of bugs, improves air circulation, and helps the plant focus on the new growth. 

According to Jolene Adams, Roses Chair for the California Garden Clubs Inc, those of us in California may need to use a dormant spray to help our rose’s drop leaves and go to sleep.  This spray is a copper and sulfur oil spray which means it’s going to smell like rotten eggs.  The good news is the bugs won’t like the spray either so you are killing two birds with one stone.  Adams says, “Sulfur is a necessary ingredient in rose nutrition so don’t worry about using too much – spray the whole bush, tops and undersides of leaves, stems and base, until the spray drips off.  You can also mist the ground around the rose.”  After pruning she suggests spraying it “once more with a calcium polysulfide solution”.

Roses should be pruned after the last freeze or late December, early January depending on your zone.   Don’t know how to prune roses properly, no problem I’ll guide you through the steps of basic pruning.  The best thing to know is that trying to prune your roses and not doing a perfect job is better than no pruning at all.  It’s almost impossible to kill your roses with a botched pruning job, but follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to new blooms in no time. 

First let’s go over what you will need to prune your roses.  You will need bypass pruners, long-handled loppers for those thick branches, and some thick gloves to avoid those thorns.  These tools should be nice and sharp so they make clean 45 degree angle cuts.  The cuts should be about ¼ an inch above a bud.  The angle is important because you don’t want the water sitting on a blunt cut as it will cause disease.  Start by removing all dead, broken, dying or diseased wood.  If you have any sucker growth below the graft you will need to remove these as well.  Next, remove any twig like branches, crossing branches and any remaining foliage; opening up the middle of your plant and leaving young strong canes for next years growth.  After all of these steps your roses will look pretty naked but not to worry they will come back healthy and full in spring.