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How to do summer rose pruning in South Africa (also known as light rose pruning)

Summer rose pruning or Light rose pruning in South Africa:

Most roses benefit from summer pruning. This is not as severe as winter pruning, but it helps to keep the size of the rose bush manageable and promotes new growth for a longer flowering period.
Summer or light rose pruning also promotes a deeper and wider root system and helps the rose tolerate fluctuations in water availability and temperature.

  • Young rose bushes of the hybrid tea variety are pruned back to one-third of their growth to allow sturdy shoots to develop.
  • Prune out the oldest stems. The best blooms are produced on strong stems or branches that rise from the base of the rose plant. So the objective is to develop a sturdy rose plant from the outset. While a rose is still young, this can be achieved by good pruning.
  • Hybrid tea rose bushes that are a few years old need less pruning than newly planted roses; only one-third to half of the growth needs to be removed. This is because the older canes of rose plants are already strong and sturdy to at least half their height.
  • Standard hybrid tea roses should be pruned quite severely to prevent the head becoming too big and the roses from growing too high on the bush.
  • Pruning away infested branches will reduce the impact of scale and other insect pests on the rose.
  • Floribunda and polyantha roses, especially ‘Iceberg’, which bear clusters of flowers at the ends of their stalks, should be pruned less severely. Prune the clusters back just below the old flowers.
  • With climbing and rambler roses, it is important to prune in manner that promotes lateral (sideways) growth.
  • Methods for pruning roses have changed over the years. The following is not necessary for winter rose pruning. Many people still look for an outward-pointing eye or bud at the top of the stem when cutting. (Prune just above a bud facing in the direction you would like to direct new growth.)
  • Experience shows that lower buds often develop first and, in many instances, will surpass the higher buds in growth. Use a combination of summer pruning and picking blooms to train your rose bushes; selecting outward-pointing eyes will help to develop a preferable cup-shaped rose bush.

Also see- Care after pruning roses

 

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