I have never liked doing anything that I didn't know why I was doing it.  Rote learning was never my cup of tea.  When you are pruning your roses it is important that you understand why you make the cuts you make.

I would like to start my explanation by pointing out a seemingly unknown fact about roses.  The canes on the rose bush you planted are not the canes that will make the bush the beauty it will be in coming years.  Leaving the old wood on the bush after its first year in hopes of gaining height and fullness is contrary to what needs to take place.  I am not condoning whacking all of the old wood back to the bud union but rather the cutting of old wood back to about 6 inches high. This stimulates the bush to have new basal breaks.(grow new canes)  These new canes will be the structure of the bush in the future. Then you can whack them off at the bud union. :)  I have seen many times a person plant a climbing rose and tie the canes that came on it to the trellis.  Actually this is unnecessary.   The canes that will grow to the heights you want are the new canes that will emerge from the bud union(budded rose)or the crown (own root rose).  Yes the canes that are on the plant when you purchase it will sprout some new growth, but, the canes you need will come later after the bush acclimates to its new home.  This is why you cut back old wood even on the roses you planted last year. 

Now I have given you a reason to cut out the old wood other than it just being ugly, let me answer the 4 "D"'s of pruning. 

1. Dead, remove dead canes which harbor pest such as insects and disease that will spread to the healthy tissue.

2. Diseased, Remove canes that have canker on them.  Canker can be caused by many things and none of them should be allowed to stay on an otherwise healthy plant to spread.  The exception to this is Rose Rosette Disease.  In the case of Rose Rosette the entire bush must be dug up and destroyed.

3. Damaged, a cane can be damaged by many things including but not limited to; rabbits girding the canes, canes crossing and rubbing together, canes tied to supports to tight, winter kill and leaving the identification tag on the bush.  Let me add a caution here.  The tag does not have to be tight on the cane to kill it.  Name tags on canes will always kill the cane they are tied to. Remove all damaged canes.

4. Dinkie, small canes just use up nutrients from the plant and slow the process of breaking new canes.  They also prevent airflow through the plant which causes disease and gives insects a place to hide.  Remove them completely.

  

I hope I have taken some of the mystery out of why you prune.  If you have further questions do not hesitate to contact me.

Now that the pruning is done and the chance of freeze is almost over it is time for your first application of pesticide and Roses inc. Special rose food.  It will not be long before the temperatures are too warm for dormant oil and you will need to begin your use of Roses inc. black spot prevention mix and be on the look out for insects and mites so you can control them before they do damage. Click Here for a copy of our black spot prevention formulation.

  

Roses inc. Special Rose food is the best fertilizer you can get for your roses.  No matter the weather you will see new growth within 3 days of its use providing the bush is not dormant.  Unlike most fertilizers you buy, Roses inc Special Rose Food does not require the earth to be a temperature of the high 60's or low 70's to activate it.  Since its formula allows it to be absorbed directly by the Rose's roots. It does not rely on bacteria to make it possible for the plants roots to absorb it, it is taken up immediately.  Remember Jack's bean stalk?  It is that good!  Well, almost.  Roses inc. Special Rose food comes in 1 pound, 2 pound and 4 pound sizes.  You use 1 tablespoon of it to a gallon of water for each bush monthly so it goes a long way.  It is available on our web site or in the store along with everything you need to grow beautiful roses.