Roses are shrubs that have very decorative flowers, but for them to grow, they must be pruned. And it is that if we did not, there would come a time when it would produce leaves smaller than they should be and not a single flower. For this reason, it is necessary to have secateurs in the drawer, so that we can use them with our roses grown in pots.
And we need not worry, because to do it correctly we only need to know certain characteristics of plants. But before that, let’s talk about when to prune potted roses.
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When is the best time to prune potted roses?
Roses are plants that grow from spring to late summer. If the weather is mild or warm, they continue to do so until autumn or even the beginning of winter, as is the case in parts of the Mediterranean region, for example. But also, they flower for several months in a row, so you will have to choose the right moment to prune them so there are no problems.
But not only that, but you should also know that there are several types of pruning, and that they are done at different times. For instance, there is training pruning and/or rejuvenation which is done at the end of winter when the plant has not yet resumed its growth; The pinched, which are small cuts of the stems which are made, if necessary, throughout the year; and finally there is the flower size which consists of removing faded flowers.
These three sizes will not always have to be done; in fact, the normal thing is that only training is practiced and the dried flowers are removed. In some cases, if the rose bush is very young, the only thing to do is to remove the faded roses.
What tools are needed to prune roses?
Surely, without knowing it, you have things that will help you prune the rose bushes. Of course, there are pruning tools like handsaws, anvil shears, etc., but when we talk about potted roses, we usually mean relatively small plants, so I don’t think you need to buy anything. Of course, if your plant is already moderately mature, as its stems will be thick, you will have to shell out a little money. Here are the tools you need:
- household scissors: like those in the kitchen for example. These will be used to cut green and thin stems, as well as faded flowers and suckers.
- anvil scissors: If the stems are 0.5 cm or more, you will need to use these scissors to trim them. You can buy them here.
- Hand saw or small hand saw: To prune or remove woody branches. Get it now.
Of course, always keep in mind that they must be clean and disinfected before use to prevent them from contracting an infection.
How to prune potted roses?
The steps to follow will depend on the type of pruning that is going to be done, for example:
flower size
This consists, as its name suggests, in removing the flowers. We recommend removing them when they are already ugly, that is, when there are few petals left to fall. We will take scissors and cut about 2-5 centimeters of stem depending on its total length. For example, if the branch measures 40cm, we will count about 5cm from the top of the flower to the bottom.
Size training/rejuvenation
It is a pruning with which it is intended to rejuvenate the plant. It is also used to give it a style or shape. For this reason, pacifiers must be removedwho are these green stalks that grow at the base of the stalksand also those that grow a lot should be cut.
For this, household scissors or, in the case of branches with a thickness of 0.5 cm or more, a small handsaw will be used. The cut will be made above a bud, that is, above a protrusion or mass that is on the branch. But how much should you cut?
If the branch is, for example, about 40 cm, 10 or 15 centimeters will be cut. It could even be even shorter, around 20 centimeters high, but no more.
Pinch or maintenance pruning
It is a very Light. It basically consists of pruning a little (about 2-4 centimeters) the branches which are invaded. The tender and green branches are pruned so that the loss of sap is very low.
This can be done with household scissors without problem, but it is important that they are disinfected before and after use to avoid any problems.
The pruning of the rose bush is a task that must be carried out every year so that it grows well and flourishes. Therefore, we hope that what we have discussed here will be helpful to you.