Pruning - Rose
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  (February) With the crazy swing in weather we have been having here in Conway is it too early to prune Crepe Myrtles and roses?

  Our recommendation stays the same -- wait until late February to prune both roses and Crape myrtles. Hopefully, by then, the bulk of cold weather has passed, and our plants should have suffered what winter damage they were going to. Crape myrtles tend to be one of the last plants to begin leafing out in the spring, so pruning even into March is not bad. We like to get pruning done before new growth begins, since they bloom on the new wood. Roses many times have begun active new growth before we prune--especially in mild winters, but we still recommend waiting until the end of the month. It is better to err on the side of safety.

  (April) I have a lady banks rose draped across my brick mailbox. It is about four years old and has bloomed beautifully in the past. I have had to trim it each year - rather severely. It is beginning to bloom now, but some of the leaves have black spots and it does not look as full as it did in the years past. Want to know if it is alright to fertilize now and what should I use. If not, when should it be fertilized? I live in Monticello.

  Lady banks rose is one of those wonderful old-fashioned roses that seem to only get better with age. I have never heard of it being plagued with disease--in particular blackspot. Maybe you should move it to a location where you don't have to prune as severely, and let it prosper. In Monticello, you could have an amazing bush if you didn't prune. This thornless rose only blooms in the spring, but the larger it grows, the more impressive its bloom season. Fertilize after bloom.

  (August) What do I do when the rose bloom dies? I have heard that you cut it off, but I don't know what is proper cutting procedure so that I don't harm the plant.

  After a rose blooms, the flower produces seed, which is left on the plant in the form of a rose hip. Some species have beautiful, large, colorful rose hips in the fall, and you can find recipes to make rose hip tea and the like. Supposedly they are loaded with vitamin C. However, during the active growing and hopefully, bloom season, deadheading the roses will help them continue to put on more flowers. If you will look at the leaves on your rose bushes, you will notice that some leaves have three leaflets, some five, some seven, etc. Many rosarians know the exact petal count of their hybrid tea roses, and they cut back the spent flower stem at the point where the second set of 5 leaves are on the stem. If you have a 35 petal count rose, in 35 days you will have a new rose on that stem. A 40 petal count, will bloom again in 40 days, etc. This way they can time to have a rose display. For average gardeners, that isn't necessary, but deadheading will certainly help.

  (September) We moved to the Arkansas area in April of this year. We bought a new house and had the yard done all in rock. For landscaping we purchased several trees, bushes and rose bushes. My question is regarding the rose bushes. We spend 6 months here and will be leaving October 1st for our winter home until the first of April. What do we need to do with the rose bushes? We have three and they have all flowered over this summer. Can we do something before we leave or should we have a neighbor do what is necessary? As I write they are still giving us roses. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

  I assume these are bush roses, not climbers. If the roses have grown unusually tall, you may consider heading them back to about four feet before you leave. This will give the plants stability, should we have any ice or snow this winter. Then mulch them, and ask your neighbor to monitor moisture needs. Hybrid tea rose bushes must be pruned every year quite heavily to do their best. I would not recommend the severe pruning before October 1 for several reasons. One, the plants will still be actively growing, and may actually really kick in with new growth, if pruned, and this new growth would not have a chance to harden off before winter. Another problem is the plants would be more exposed should we have any type of winter. See if a friend can come and prune your roses to within 8 to 18 inches of the ground in late February or early March. Upon your return in April, begin your regular spray program if you have black spot susceptible plants.

  I have some real pretty rose bushes in my front yard and I'm wondering when are you supposed to cut them back and just how do you do it. Sure would appreciate some information concerning this. Thanks

  The pruning of your roses depends on the type they are. If the roses you have are hybrid tea roses, they would need to be pruned back to within 8 - 18 inches of the ground in late February. If the plants are taller than four feet in height, you can head them back to around four feet, after the first killing frost, but no further. This will give the individual plant more stability should we have any ice or snow this winter, yet still not be winter killed. If the roses are old fashioned shrub roses, most of them should be pruned as needed, in the spring after bloom, since many of them bloom most profusely in the spring. The Central Arkansas Rose Society will host a rose pruning demonstration in February at the State Capitol to demonstrate how this is done. There is also a rose pruning leaflet available from your local county extension office.

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