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laythss

Bud Union where is it + pruning demo

laythss
10 years ago

Hello all, I am new to roses, and i am trying to figure out how i am going to go about pruning these roses we found in our new home.
I read about cutting off old canes that turned brownish and keep new canes that are green.

I have no idea where the bud union is, and i am afraid when i start pruning next month or so, i will end up leaving canes that are below the bud union (i.e suckers)!!

i took couple of pictures with some lines of where i am thinking of cutting, and where i think the bud union is. can you please tell me if i am right or wrong.

http://layth.info/rose1.php

Many thanks,
Layth

Comments (6)

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    Here's a diagram. Quite a few good pruning demos on You Tube.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:219138}}

  • laythss
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thank you hoovb,

    yeah i looked at couple of videos and diagrams already before i posted here in the last couple of days... Yet i am trying to get more personal opinions though for the hands on people on this form.

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    From your pictures the bud union is that big gnarly lump at the bottom that all the canes are coming from. I don't see any canes coming from below it. I don't think any of those canes you have marked are dead wood. They are old wood but I can see green cane sprouting off of of those thick brown canes which means they are still alive. Canes will darken and get that barky look as they mature but it doesn't mean they've died. Even if you want to thin it out some I would never take more than 1/3 of the oldest canes out in any one season.

    To tell if a cane is dead go to the tip and snip off a 2 inch piece and look at the center of the cane. If it looks greenish white or creamy it's alive. If it's brown or dark tan it's dead. Keep cutting off small sections down the cane until you get to that white/cream center. From there down the cane is alive.

    Have you seen this rose in bloom yet? Do you have any idea what type of rose it is? If not I would not do anything more than take out the dead wood until you see how it blooms. Post a picture when it blooms and perhaps we can help you identify it. Then we can give you much better advice on how to take care of it. But for the most part it looks like it's a pretty healthy and vigorous growing rose so it shouldn't be any problem to care for.

  • catsrose
    10 years ago

    Absolutely do Not cut the red line circling the bottom with arrow pointing to it. That is the graft. You will kill the rose that has been grafted and be left with the rootstock.

    Actually, the bush looks pretty well pruned to me. I would take off the center cane on the group on the right side, the one that seems to have crack, and leave the rest alone.

    If the rest of your roses look like this one, I would do no more pruning this year. Post some more photos.

  • laythss
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you Seil and catsrose for your reply.
    This is as Label states a "SUN FLARE"
    Catsrose the red line with the arrow is where i assumed the graft is, so i will definatly not cut that especially that you confirmed my assumption.
    Seil i noticed stuff growing from the hard wood, but i thought (from what i watched and read) that I am supposed to cut old wood and keep younger wiid since it is more vigorous and will give better roses and so on. If i were to do that should i replace a cane a year? is this even recommended for Floribunda Roses?

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    It isn't necessary to thin floribundas. Thinning is usually done for climbers. As I said, that rose looks pretty healthy as is so I wouldn't do much pruning except to the tips where there may be some dead wood I can't see.