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 ...
Phillip, I love lilies as well and appreciate them more every year. They fill a void in my garden between rose flushes and before the Rose of Sharon and fall perennials kick in.
ReplyDeleteThese are beauties. How can anyone not like these gorgeous plants? I would love to have many more than I have now. They are such an easy plant to grow. I too have to stake them. I don't know many who don't have to stake their lilies.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much luck with lilies here, but I'm not sure why. I do have a few plants looking good about now, so maybe I'll have more blooms this year. It's been very rainy this year, so perhaps they like more rain? Yours are gorgeous!
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