Deadheading & Pruning

Prune and deadhead your roses to keep them lush, healthy, and full of blooms.

 

Most gardeners prune their roses in early spring, just before or as the plants begin to grow. This is often when the forsythia starts to bloom in your area. (The main exception is roses that bloom once a year early in the season; prune these varieties back right after they finish blooming.)

As you prune roses, keep in mind you want your plants to grow with an open center so air can flow freely through the plant -- and to keep your rose from looking like a crazy mess of branches. As you do this, cut out any dead branches, as well as small, weak canes.

Get more tips on pruning roses.

You typically do heavy pruning early in the season, but deadhead throughout. To deadhead means to cut off faded blooms -- this makes your rose look better, helps prevent disease issues, and can encourage more blooms. Cut faded rose flowers back to the nearest leaf.