It is amazing to me that it is already the middle of April! I have been trying to spend every available moment in the garden in between April showers.

We had quite a tremendous, classic winter this year. My roses here were buried under 3-6′ of snow from late December until the middle of March. When the snow melted away, I was so pleased to see so many beautiful, green lengths of cane! I had to sit on my hands to keep from starting my pruning program on the spot!!

In our area, we rosarians know that there is nothing more ideal for our gardens in the winter months than 3′ of snow till the first day of spring, and this year we almost got that case scenario. Snow is loaded with air and moisture, so it gets those canes cold and keeps them at a steady temperature until it melts away! But, this winter we also had an ice factor involved, so the snow got a lot heavier and there were some crush injuries…not limited to the rose garden, but with other shrubs, as well. When I began to prune, the first thing I did was to cut out those canes that broke under the weight of the ice.

April Pruning

How do we know when pruning time begins? A really good indicator is when the forsythia begins to bloom in your neighborhood. This happens around April. Make sure your pruners and loppers (for those really big canes) are really sharp! I am a lucky lady that my husband enjoys sharpening my tools, and they are a pleasure to work with. Before you head to the garden, do some stretching exercises to loosen up your muscles a bit.

Once you’re outside with your roses, strap on your kneepads and get down on their level for an inspection. Prune out any canes that are crossing, as their prickles can injure themselves the same way they can injure us. Snip off anything that is weak and insignificant. Prune off the side canes at a 45* angle to an outward facing bud so that the new cane will grow away from the center of the bush. Leave your canes as long as you like as long as the pith in the center is nice and white. This advice is for Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Minis, and Miniflora roses. When you have pruned your bushes to your liking, seal up all the wounds with some Elmer’s Glue. It will dry clear and prevent borers from drilling holes in your rosebushes.

Shrubs

Shrubs can be cut back or not-that is your preference. Old Garden Roses should be trimmed back after they bloom, or not…again, your preference. You should also hold back on pruning climbers until after they bloom. The only exception on any roses is winter-damaged canes. Trim these back to nice, green wood for April. Again, seal up with Elmer’s.

And now, I’m off to my own gardens! I am excited about sharing my season with you, and I would love to hear back from you, so please leave me messages. Next time…we plant new roses!!