It's that time of year, watching the Rose Parade and cutting back Rose bushes in preparation for spring. Removing dead, diseased, crossing, or any cane whose form you are not satisfied with!

I begin by ensuring my pruning tools; handsaw, bypass loppers, and hand bypass shears are clean and sharp. Next I reduce my Roses down to ~24-30 inches in height; it will now be easier to examine each bush for structure. I like the final form of my Roses to have several healthy canes, well spaced, with a fairly open center. Final cuts on each cane should be at a 45 degree angle about 0.25 inches above the bud you select. A bud is normally expressed as a reddish-pink protrusion on the stem. It's good practice to direct the growth in a direction that has little chance of conflicting with other stems.

Unsure of making a cut, procrastinate a little until you are comfortable with it. These are just guidelines. You always remove more later on!

While you're at it:

-check your irrigation system for function. Repair as required.

-sanitize old leaves and debris. Weed as required.

-does the mulch in the bed need to be rejuvenated?

New growth begins to appear in February, applications of fertilizers and other products should be timed for assimilation into the plant a couple of weeks ahead.