1 day Ago By Claire Schofield
Gardens will be showing signs of new life now that spring is in full swing and as the weather turns milder, conditions are ideal for spending time more time outdoors. April is a great month to get cracking with pruning, planting, fertilising and tending to your garden for the new season, and if you have any rose shrubs then now is the time to give them your attention. Gardening experts say one key garden task to complete this month is to cut back rose shrubs ahead of the growing season, which typically begins in late spring.
It's important to wait until the last hard frosts are over before tending to your roses otherwise you risk exposing freshly cut branches to cold damage - but you want to get to them before any new blooms appear. By pruning your rose plants, this encourages them to bloom and will ensure they flower throughout the year, while also giving them a healthier appearance. Gardeners' World explains: "The best time to prune most roses is from late winter to early spring, just around the time new growth starts.
In the south of the UK, spring growth may start as early as January, while further north you may not see any new leaves until April. "Rambling roses can be pruned in summer, as soon as they have finished flowering, however sometimes it's easier to wait until autumn or winter, so you can see what you're doing more clearly, once the leaves have dropped and the new, long stems have ripened in the sun, making them less liable to snapping." When pruning, it’s recommended that you leave two to three shoots on the weaker branches, and between four and five on the fuller branches of the rose.
You should also remove any dead wood and flowers, and blackened branches from the plants. Jamie Shipley, managing director at Hedges Direct, explains: “Pruning your rose plants can encourage flowering and a healthier overall appearance. To prune, start by removing any dead or weak stems which appear brown, as this will prevent any disease from spreading.
It will also allow your plant to focus on new growth instead of wasting nutrients and energy on dead stems.” Shipley adds: “Your rose shrub may also need deadheading - the process of removing brown or wilted flowers to encourage reblooming in spring. "To deadhead your rose shrub, simply cut off the flower head with secateurs - just above a healthy leaf.
The new bloom will grow from this shoot. If a flower within a cluster of roses has died, snip it off. Once all the flowers in the group have faded, cut off the whole stem.
“Although well-established roses can tolerate hard pruning, newly planted shrubs won’t need much attention. Aim to prune the first winter after planting.” The Royal Horticultural Society recommends feeding all pruned roses with a general purpose or rose fertiliser during spring, and to mulch with garden compost or manure.
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