When to Prune Roses for a Specific Bloom Date?

Ever-Bearing Roses

• Regular rose pruning leads to prolific blossoms that arrive eight to 10 weeks later. Prune after a period of blooming, which occurs in springtime in ever-bearing types. Cut back blossom-bearing branches to half their length. Make the cut just above a bud that is facing outward. Not all varieties will yield a second blooming period. Many hybrid tea varieties, Floribundas and Grandifloras, among others, will readily produce a second bloom cycle. Climbers are ever blooming and are best pruned in early spring.

Once-Blooming Roses

• Once bloomers require a different pruning method from that for recurrent varieties and will not yield blooms as quickly. After they bloom for three to six weeks in summer, its time to prune for next year's flowers. Cut these varieties 2 to 3 feet past the desired size of the bush, which will help stimulate new growth. New blooms arrive the next summer. Rambler varieties are once blooming; prune these roses just after they flower in early summer.

Deadheading

• Deadheading is the removal of dead flower heads from a rose bush after they are finished blooming. New rose blossoms will appear about six weeks after deadheading, although it can take as little as four weeks and as many as 10. By removing these flowers before the plant goes to seed, you can signal the rose bush to keep trying to reproduce. Remove a length of cane down to 1/4 inch above the highest cluster of leaves with five leaflets. New blooms will appear on new growth just below where the blooms were removed.

Stimulating Bloom Production

• Many rose growers prune just once in early spring or winter, but pruning more than once produces more blossoms. Cut roses regularly for vases and deadhead flowers throughout the growing season to see continuous blooms. Stop deadheading six weeks before hard frosts occur. Provide rose fertilizer, especially in the two weeks after pruning. Deadheading further helps prevent botrytis to ensure a healthy and productive rose bush.

  To get long-lasting blooms, place cut roses in water with plant food. Select long-lasting bloom varieties, such as black magic roses, and avoid short-blooming roses like the iceberg rose to get an extended bloom time.