Amanda Everett, the Rosarium Horticulturist at the Decanso garden gave a rose pruning Demo last weekend.
The basic techniques of pruning include; removing diseased and weak canes, shorten the remaining good canes by making 45 degree cuts just above outward facing lateral bus, strip off all the leaves and remove all debris & mulch beneath the bush, reapply mulch leaving the crown open.
It was a good solid refresher and happily I was the youngest person in the crowd. I never realized that pruning prevents plant disease from coming back in the spring. That is why this removal of all debris and mulch is so important to this post holiday chore.
