PRUNING OLD GARDEN ROSES

Less Is Often Best

China Roses and Tea Roses in particular should be pruned lightly.  These plants grow and build slowly over many years.  Hard pruning means less bloom next year.

China Roses
DO NOT NEED HARD PRUNING !!!!

A CHINA ROSE — TWIGGY AND BUSHY
(L) BEFORE PRUNING and (R) AFTER PRUNING

Remove any dead growth, but the China Rose is naturally “twiggy,” and should remain so. Remove as much of the FOLIAGE as possible. If you miss a few leaves, a good dormant spray should get rid of them. Rake up and dispose of all fallen leaves and dead plant material. BE GENTLE!

Remove any dead growth, and as much of the FOLIAGE as possible. Open the center of the plant up, and remove the worst of the crossing growth, but leave the main canes untouched where it is possible to do so. If you miss a few leaves, they will probably fall away shortly after dormant spraying is done. Rake up and dispose of all fallen leaves and dead plant material.

Tea Roses also appreciate a gentle touch with the pruning shears.

. . . These roses generally need NO PRUNING for the first three years or so.
Remove any dead or badly damaged growth, along with as much of the foliage as possible.
Dormant spray thoroughly for control of disease and insect pests.

When They Are MATURE (This may take 4-5 years with some own-root plants. Others will mature in 3 years) Climbing Teas, Climbing Chinas, and Climbing Tea-Noisettes
Respond Well To A MODERATE Pruning. 

Remove any dead or damaged canes. Remove foliage. If the plant has many canes, remove some of the oldest ones — those that are gray, and non-productive. 
Trim lateral canes back to wood at least as big around as an average pencil. 
Dormant-spray thoroughly.

Hybrid Perpetuals are the predecessors of the modern Hybrid Tea Rose, and they can safely be treated in a similar manner.

CUT AWAY ALL GROWTH THAT IS DAMAGED, DISEASED, OR DEAD. REMOVE ALL GROWTH THAT IS SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN A PENCIL. Remove crossing growth, and open up the center of the plant for good air flow.

Your completed pruning should produce a rose plant that's probably no taller than 4 feet. Some lower-growing varieties may be shorter. Take into account the natural growth pattern of the plant you are pruning. In Southern California, some Hybrid Perpetuals grow as tall as eight feet. Others have a more spreading pattern of growth. Some, like 'Baronne Prevost,' just don't know where to stop. They can grow to impressive dimensions, are often treated like vigorous climbers.

HOUSEKEEPING comes next. Thoroughly clean the rose beds, removing all dead leaves, fallen blooms, and other debris. This trash harbors insect eggs and larvae and fungal spores. Remove all remaining leaves from the plants, prior to spraying.

This is the final pruning-time task, and it is important. It should be done IMMEDIATELY AFTER PRUNING. A thorough dormant spraying offers your best chance for control of the various fungal diseases (such as powdery mildew, rust, downy mildew, and even blackspot) and insect pests. Dormant Oil Sprays and Lime-Sulfur based sprays are available at any garden center, and they are reasonably priced. Lime Sulfur Dormant Spray and Volk Oil are a popular duo ... manufactured and formulated to be used together. They may be quite safely used on roses while there is no foliage to be damaged, and before dormant bud eyes have begun to sprout. Spray your rose plants thoroughly, and spray the ground around them, as well.