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| 'Spring' pruning is done in January and February over here. I tend to start early since I have lots to do and since I work full time it's only on the weekends that I can tend my garden during the winter. Yesterday we had the start of a dry spell after a very rainy period so I took advantage of a couple of days off work and grabbed the opportunity to start rose pruning, to be continued today. My 'pruning jacket' is already doning some new shears and tears. I tend to start with the garden roses and leave the potted ones for later. Although it can get sweaty and bloody I really enjoy rose pruning, at least until my back pain becomes too much. I find it a kind of Zen experience. I hate cleaning up and shredding the cuttings though. Contrary to common advice all cuttings end up in the compost pile after they go through the shredder. Do you enjoy pruning your roses? Nik PS. I know that 'officially' should be spelled with a double l but no way to correct the post heading after one hits the submit button. What an eyesore, sorry. |
This post was edited by nikthegreek on Fri, Jan 3, 14 at 11:48
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by melissa_thefarm NItaly (My Page) on Fri, Jan 3, 14 at 10:02
| I just started pruning too, and like you I enjoy it, regarding it as a chance to take a good look at each and every one of my roses. There are probably 500-600 plants, and though many of them are puny quite a few are not, and I need the entire winter to do them, taking advantage of any intervals of mild weather. Last year we had snow on the ground so much of the winter that I never did get around to pruning most of my roses, so by now it's been two years since they saw a pair of pruners. Our garden is so large and so steep there's no point in hauling pruned material off to a compost heap; instead I cut it up and leave it under the rose. Pruning season here runs through March, when I do my few big warm-climate climbers and Teas. I save them for last so that pruning won't stimulate growth during a winter warm spell that then gets killed back by a hard freeze. Also I won't have to reprune them if they get smashed by a heavy snowfall, as happened more than once last winter. At the moment I'm waiting for the weather to improve: as soon as the clouds thin and the humidity level drops, I'll be out there. Have fun with your roses! Melissa |
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| I also enjoy pruning and use Melissa's technique of leaving the pruned parts, which I cut into smallish pieces, under the rose. This year I have little to prune since I've taken out some non-performers or diseased roses and put bands in their place which won't need pruning for some years. I can't begin to imagine pruning 500-600 roses! Ingrid |
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| Sounds funny to say but I envy hearing you guys are out pruning already. Pruning is just a dream for me right now. All my roses are under at least 6 inches of snow! Have fun! |
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| I am a month+ away from pruning but am entertaining myself with planting my potted roses and other garden activities. I used to have problems disposing of the pruned limbs until I came across an idea that really works for me. I like to just toss the cuttings into something large and not have to get tangled in the thorns. I got a light plastic kiddie pool from Walmart, cut holes in it and circled around the top with fiberglass rope and tied the ends near the pool, leaving one long rope that I can tie to my golf cart. I toss the cuttings in the pool and haul them off - never having to touch them once I toss them in the pool - which holds quite a few esp. when I stomp them down. The pool is light enough for me to drag or attach to the golf cart. I just dump the pool on the burn pile and go back for more. I used to put them in a large tub - it never held enough and I had to cut them down to size - a royal pain. This method is great for trimming small tree branches, yanking up out of season annuals, perennials and as a receptacle for weeds. One of my favorite gardening tools! Judith |
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- Posted by kittymoonbeam (My Page) on Sat, Jan 4, 14 at 0:01
| If you can burn them, tying the cut canes into bundles and letting them dry and then burning them is an easy way to do it. I don't have the room to store them all until they are dry enough but I save some bundles and it lights my fireplace wood and bbq charcoals very well. It takes a long time for them to rot. I read that someone used to throw it all in a pond. Mine go to the local green waste recycling center and they grind it up with big equipment and compost it. |
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| I just pruned last week although a couple roses are still blooming. Most of my pruning is to control my climbers and train the laterally for growth. I use long gauntlet rose gloves but find that I can only use my left one since I need one hand nimble to tie the plant tape! . |
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| I also very much enjoy pruning-time, and look forward to it every year (February). Taking stock of exactly what is going on with each plant, one by one- It's like a quiet tete-a-tete, as opposed to the wild carnival of blooming-season. It's also sentimental for me, since "pruning the roses" was a BIG deal in my Grandparent's garden. |
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| Pruning here, too. In fact, I've been giving talks on pruning roses at local libraries. It's time in California, too. |
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| starting in on the fruit bushes first. |
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| Wow, what great attitudes you all have on pruning; I plan to take it to heart. I have always hated pruning with a passion, usually rush through it, probably due somewhat to indecision and lack of confidence. So, this year I'll embrace it, slow down, get to know the roses one by one, and surely learn valuable lessons in the process, thanks to you. |
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- Posted by Kippy-the-Hippy 10 Sunset 24 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 8, 14 at 19:02
| I started today, brought my grandson who I watch and put him in the old stroller and had mom sit with him while I clipped. I figure one small section at a time, keep it under an hour, and call it good. Thankfully, most of my roses are babies and need next to no pruning Mom loves time with baby and he loves watching the trees. |
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- Posted by ilovemyroses 8 Dallas TX (My Page) on Sun, Jan 12, 14 at 8:32
| I think it is one of my favorite things to do, with digging the holes and planting being on the polar opposite side of the spectrum. Alameda, I love your pool idea!! Wish you would drive slowly by my house this afternoon and I would load you up! Yes, I am aiming to begin today. Feb. 14 is officially our day to prune, but planning to keep the calendars away from the roses and take advantage of the nice week. I know I will get some die back, but getting ahead of the ball, and then getting mulch and amendments out, and accessing what kind of shape my garden is in will be worth it. I seem to too often back myself into working through something when the heat is strong, wishing I had started earlier. Pruning is somewhat zen. And, like too few things in life, offers immediate satisfaction. Things look so neat, and ready for spring. And the ugly perennials are neatened up as well. Tidy. Hopeful. (The cleaning up is a chore, fortunately Edward Scissorshands, my husband, is a real expert hauling limbs to the piles for the city to pick up), I will try cutting them down and leaving them around the bushes. Of course, I leave the climbers alone, neatening stray shoots somewhat. Then, after their big show....WHACK! Oh, the feeling of my felco #2's in my hand. I plan to be buried with them... |
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