Rose Pruning Again
Late February to early March is the time for the major pruning of roses. Back in December, I did a preliminary pruning , now is the time for the last major pruning before the spring season begins. First, a comment on hybrid tea roses. This is what most people have in their gardens. I only have a few hybrid tea roses. These are the roses that need the most drastic pruning. Basically, you cut all the canes down to about 1 foot, making the cuts right above an outward-facing bud. The result will be something like this - Most of my roses fall into the shrub and climbing categories. These roses are pruned differently and not as severe as the hybrid teas. For shrub roses (and many of the David Austin English roses fall into this category), I first take out the older canes completely to the ground. The older canes are easy to spot - they will be thicker and darker in color. After thinning out the older canes, I remove any canes that are damaged, crossing one another and canes that ...
Love your space there, Phillip, and honeysuckle, well, I can smell it by just saying the word. Nothing blooming in the PNW as yet, just a few groundcovers.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be sitting on that patio in the sun sipping wine or coffee and enjoying the scent. Love honeysuckle but it sure can take over a spot. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMy daffodils are blooming and daylilies are coming up. My star mag aren't blooming yet and I hope they hold off. Cold weather is predicted in a couple of weeks. Mary
ReplyDeleteI wish I could smell it... I'm not sure I've ever run into one of those ??
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid winter is not done with us yet, and all those early blossoms are going to get zapped.
ReplyDeletePhillip..I am enjoying mine also! It is loaded and had honeybees on it! I bet Florence is blooming all over...even further north things are freakishly ahead of schedule by about 3-4 weeks. Thanks for giving me my start of this wonderful shrub!
ReplyDeleteIt is warm enough here to have honeysuckle blooms but there is only one bud on ours. It won't be long if it stays this warm.
ReplyDeleteYou always have such enticing garden rooms, Phillip. And so many of them! Love it.
ReplyDeleteMy winter honeysuckles have never bloomed this long - they started at least a month ago (North Carolina). I was walking thru the bedraggled garden one day and was enveloped in lemony freshness - wondered whose laundry I could possibly be smelling so deep in our back yard, then realized it was the honeysuckle. It's not a beautiful shrub, but the fragrance is worth it.
ReplyDeleteOur crocuses, lenten rose and small daffs are blooming - the large daff flowers are still tightly closed. Tulip foliage is poking out of the ground. Spanish bluebell foliage is up. What a weird winter.
It's a wonderful photo! I have this Honeysuckle and it is a heavenly smell!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot! I have been tempted to buy a winter honeysuckle. I love fragrance in the garden. Yours is perfectly sited by the patio!
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