When Should I Prune My Roses In South Africa.
Roses are mostly pruned in the Summer months. They are normally pruned from the late month of July to the early month of August. Pruning lightly during summer will reinvigour your roses and encourage growth. It also helps manage the size of your rose bushes and promotes aggressive flowering. This is when the days start to get longer and temperatures start rising.
Pruning Guidelines
For most Rose farmers h arvest time means a time to reap bountifully what they have down in the ground. But unfortunately most people get below an average of what they had expected to reap. To ensure that you are able to successfully prune all your roses without losing a lot to weeds, there are certain guidelines one must follow to have a successful harvest.
What to do
Even if your rose bush is still blooming, you can prune it. Roses tend to grow longer and produce more stems as they age. Do not compost diseased leaves; instead, burn them or dispose of them in municipal waste. To keep the blades from rusting, thoroughly dry them.
What you will need to start the process.
Gloves
Heavy Long clothing
Bypass Shears
Steps in the Pruning Process
Step 1
Begin by removing more than half of the rose bush’s height – simply bunch the stems together and cut them all the same height. From above, you can see all of the branches and twigs, making it easier to decide how to proceed.
Step 2: Cut down on the number of branches. This allows for new shoots and side shoots in the spring.
Step 3: Remove any dead branches, twigs, or old wood. Old wood is typically woodier and darker in color than young canes.
Step 4: Remove any side shoots and branches that are growing towards the plant’s center. You want to make a cup shape with as many branches as possible inside the ‘cup significantly reduced .The final cut should be 5-10mm above a node facing outward.
Step 5 Because overlapping branches can cause friction wounds, leave 20-30cm between the remaining branches using your secateurs as a guide.
Step 6 Remove any remaining leaves.
Remove any thin, brittle growth. The general rule is to remove anything thinner than a pencil.
Step 7 Cut 1/4″ to 1/2″ above an outward-facing bud eye to prune (a small bump found where a leaf would meet the stem). New stems emerge from the bud, and the goal is to encourage them to grow outward rather than inward. Allow water to run off by cutting at a 45-degree angle away from the bud.
Step 8 To protect newly cut canes from rot and rose borers, seal the wounds with a compound such as Bonide’s Garden Rich Pruning Sealer.
Step 9 After pruning, make sure to clean up the area beneath. All leaves and cut branches should be discarded because diseases and pests may be present.
Step 10 Roses are “big eaters” and require proper nutrition; therefore, feed them with a long-lasting fertilizer such as
Conclusion
During the summer, roses can be lightly pruned. Summer pruning will revitalize your roses and encourage growth. It also promotes aggressive flowering and helps manage the size of your rose bushes. This is when the days begin to lengthen and the temperatures begin to rise.
