Pre-Plant Pruning
Pre-Plant Pruning of Bare-Root Roses:
A hard pruning of bare root roses helps to concentrate the roses energy on growing new shoots. First, prune all stems down to about 15-20cm (6-8 inches). The cuts should be made at an outward facing bud; the buds will appear as small bumps that unfurl into leaves (not the thorns!). Find a bud that is on the outside of the shrub, facing away from the center. This is where new growth will emerge, ensuring that your rose will grow outward leaving an open center. Cut just above the bud, on a slight diagonal. Now, look closely at the center of each stem, called the pith. It should be quite white or green. If it appears dark or yellow, continue pruning down to outward facing buds until white pith is reached. You may have one or more dead stems; do not worry, remove them and more energy will be put into the remaining stems. Now look for stems that may be rubbing against one another, the weaker of the two should be removed. Prune the root tips back to white tissue to encourage branching. You are now ready to soak the rose in muddy water for several hours, and then plant your new rose.
Pre-Plant Pruning of Bare-Root Shrubs:
Before planting your shrubs, any broken or damaged branches can be removed. If two stems are rubbing together, remove the weaker one. Prune the root tips back to white tissue to encourage branching.
