Calwest Orchid Supplies

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How do you prune rose bushes that are getting too big.?

I grow a variety called Red Carper rose and one called Knockout. They are 4 – 5 feet tall, 5 – 6 feet wide, and not looking as well as when they were younger. Is it okay to cut them way back this fall or next spring? Or should I yank them out and replace with small plants?

Well… you know how large these roses want to become, they’re going to try to achieve that size. So, are you willing to keep cutting them back to control the size? are you intimidated by the thorns? Many roses look ‘tired’ this time of year, as the season’s storm, insect and disease damage accumulates on the plant. If you had to apply fertilizer and/or pest controls on the plant almost weekly, does that impact your decision?

If you’re willing to work on the plants, they are certainly above average selections, and you will be rewarded with beautiful flowers through out the season. If, however some of those things seem like “too much work”, I’d take the roses out and choose something with less maintenance. ‘Red Carpet’ and ‘ Knockout’ are both considered “low maintenance” (when it comes to roses) but neither of them are No Maintenance.

You can safely cut them back very hard in the spring, while the plants are dormant. Even to 1 foot.

In the mean time, I’d bring some foliage to the local independent garden center, so they can help you look for diseases or insect damage. They can tell you what you’ll need to spray on the plants to protect them.

I hope that this helps…
Good luck