Happy New Year in the rose garden!

I can't believe another year has come and gone. It feels like it sped by so quickly. It is finally winter here in the valley. It is not quite time to prune your roses. That will come in another month or so.

Take time to prepare your pruning tools before pruning season. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Most of us don't grow antique once-blooming roses. There are several out there and they are gorgeous, but one must pretty much purchase them from growers who specialize in antique roses. They are not commonly found in nursery centers. Those once-blooming antique roses should be pruned right after they have bloomed in late spring or early summer. 

The "modern" repeat-blooming roses should be pruned in late winter or early spring, mid-February to the middle of March here in Fresno. Until that time, cut any remaining blooms, bring them inside and enjoy them! If any new growth appears, don't worry, it will be cut off when you force the plant into dormancy during the spring pruning.

This is still not the time to fertilize. Fertilizer applied this time of year will probably leach into the soil below the root zone and could get into our groundwater. Wait until the days are longer and warmer. This will be the stimulus for the rose to start producing new growth and then you can fertilize them. 

Also wait to apply any fungicides until the roses begin to grow next spring. Dormant oil can be used to smother the fungal spores that have been residing on the stems of your roses.  

Getting ready to prune 

It is important have the proper tools ready for rose pruning. The first one is high-quality bypass pruning shears. I cannot tell you how many of these I have purchased over the years. Get a good one. Gee, once I got a good one, I didn't have to keep buying cheap ones! It will save you a lot of heartache in the long run and the shears will last. It is worth the investment. 

Use a sharpener for your shears and lopper blades. Dull, dirty shears and loppers can damage the canes of your roses and can invite disease and dieback. Use a three-in-one oil on the blades and bolts after sharpening so they operate smoothly.

Get a good pair of gloves. I recommend leather or goat skin. Cotton ones won't cut it. The thorns will cut you if you wear those. You don't want thorns puncturing your skin. Rose canes carry some nasty diseases. 

You can get a pair of long-length rose pruning gloves to protect your arms. I have a pair of long "rose" gloves and also a pair of welding sleeves that I use when pruning. The choice is yours. Sometimes I prefer using the welding sleeves with my short leather gloves. Other times I prefer long rose gloves. Either will work well to protect your arms. 

Make sure your Tetanus shot is up to date. I know of rose growers who required serious surgery due to punctures by thorns. I would rather have you safe than sorry.

To prevent the spread of diseases within in the rose garden, I carry small, packaged alcohol wipes with me. It is important to wipe your pruning blades clean after pruning each bush. Don't use bleach on your blades as it can degrade them. 

2025 American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) winners

I thought I would give you some rose eye candy and mention the AGRS winning roses. The roses mentioned below won in several regions, but I am only mentioning those which won in the southwest and can take our summer weather. 

 

1000 Wishes. This was introduced by the Antique Rose Emporium and bred by Mike Shoup (he is a very nice guy!). You will notice the open centers on this rose that allow pollinators to get nectar and pollen. This rose has a reputation for being very easy to grow with large, coral pink flowers. It is also low maintenance. This rose can even be grown as a hedge! It gets to be about 5' by 5'. The rose is a repeat bloomer and fragrant. (Photo: Antique Rose Emporium)

 

Veranda Fiesta. It was created by Kordes Roses and introduced by Star Roses in the USA. This is a rose that will do well in containers or grown as a low hedge. (Photo: Star Roses)