Some of my rose bushes are still in leaf as a result of the mild weather we\u2019ve has this winter, while a couple are even flowering. Is it still okay to prune them, or will I damage them by doing so?<\/b><\/p>\n
Siobhan H, Dublin<\/b><\/p>\n
Prior to Christmas, when you sent this query, we had had an exceptionally mild, wet start to winter, with few frosty nights or chilly days. As a result, many roses have been slow to settle into their normal cycle of winter dormancy in milder parts of the country, while some are, as you say, even continuing to flower intermittently.<\/p>\n
This makes traditional late winter pruning more challenging in terms of timing. Ideally, the plants should be pruned when they\u2019re not in active growth to avoid encouraging the production of new, soft, sappy growth that would then be vulnerable to late frost damage. Common rose diseases such as blackspot are also less active in cold weather \u2013 another good reason to hold off pruning your plants until the temperature drops to more seasonal norms.<\/p>\n
The good news is that there\u2019s still plenty of time. Ideally aim to finish pruning by the middle of February (early March in colder parts of the country), using a sharp secateurs or loppers to remove all dead, damaged or diseased wood. The question of how much you should prune back any remaining healthy branches depends on the kind of rose. <\/p>\n
[\u00a0Make the cut: the right way to prune rosesOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n