When to Prune: Gardening Rose Bushes

When gardening rose bushes for the first time, sometimes it can be overwhelming to try and learn all that is needed in order to maintain a healthy garden.  There are different types of roses to choose from, different soils to think about, and different ways to prune the bushes.  However, rose gardening can be made easy if a few simple directions are followed.  After that it is only a matter of enjoying the blooms!

A Few Easy Steps

Before gardening rose bushes, the first step is to prepare the soil and choose the types of rose bushes that will be grown in the garden.  The soil should be tilled, or dug up and loosened, so that it is easier for the roots of the rose bushes to get through it.  It is also important to add nutrients to the soil, either through traditional fertilizer or through the use of compost which is all natural.  Compost can be bought in stores, which can often get costly, or it can be made in the backyard through a compost pile.  The only trick to maintaining a compost pile is to continue throwing leaves, grass cuttings, fruits and vegetables, as well as wood shavings onto the pile.  That way it is continually decaying and producing the rich dark soil that can be found underneath.

To choose the right rose bush, it is important to think about the type of climate that it is in that area.  There are certain roses that do very well in extreme heat, but others that will die.  There are some that can withstand winters outside, while others would have to be brought inside if they are to survive.  When gardening rose bushes, it is important to plant them in an area with direct sunlight and to plant them some distance apart so that air can move between the bushes. 

One of the more dreaded tasks when gardening rose bushes is pruning, since the beginner gardener fears damaging the rose bush.  There are a couple of simple things to remember about pruning when gardening rose bushes.  Pruning is usually done in the spring time when the plants have a lot of new growth coming in.  Pruning helps to aerate the rose bushes, allowing for air to circulate through the plant.  A beginning rose bush gardener can start at the base of the rose bush and look for any dead or damaged growth.  To prune it, he merely cuts off the growth cleanly at a forty-five degree angle about a quarter of an inch above the bud.