Spring pruning of established roses is always a gamble.
If you prune too early, late spring frosts can kill all the canes. If you prune too late, some of the plants’ strength will be lost in the growth of the top shoots.

You and you alone must judge when to prune your roses.
All roses must be pruned in the spring – don’t think you can skip this job.
Here are some suggestions:
- A green cane does not necessarily mean it is alive. Cane color can vary from green to red.
- The only way to check on cane life is to lightly knick the bark to see if the green cambium layer of cells is alive. Start at the top of the cane and nick off chips of bark. Continue down the cane until you see the green cambium layer beneath the bark layer.
- Cut off the cane portion, which does not show the cambium coloration; this pruning height may or may not be the proper spring pruning height, but it’s a start in the right direction.
- If the entire rose cane fails to show green beneath the bark down to the soil level and your rose bush was properly planted with the graft union two inches below the soil line, don’t despair, as the wood beneath the soil is alive and will send up new shoots soon.
- However, if the canes are “dead” down to an exposed graft union, the entire plant is worthless. Dig up the plant and discard it rather than wait for any possible future life (which usually shows up as nine-leaved wild shoots from the understock).
- Use a sharp pruning tool. If you know how to handle a knife, use it. Pruning shears are the best tool, and kitchen or sewing shears should be avoided.
- Treat all pruning cuts with plant wound paint. Wound treatment is necessary to prevent cane borer damage and possible disease attacks.
- Prune canes to keep the center of the plant open to receive sunlight and air. Make slanting cuts directly above a cane node. Try to select a node that faces the plant’s ” outside. “
- Dispose of all cut-off cane portions immediately – do not use them as compost material.
- Stagger pruning cuts at different heights.
- To reduce the spread of “die-back” or canker, a dreaded fungus disease, disinfect pruning tool blades after each cut—dip blades in 10% percent hydrogen peroxide.
Pruning Heights
For the most part, these suggested pruning heights for each type of rose are elastic. The natural growth of wide rose varieties must be considered.
Some varieties produce a “horizontal” or sprawling development, which should be pruned back more severely than those that generally send up extra-strong or long canes.
Most pruning heights listed are higher than you may have previously followed. Higher pruning leaves more plant “food” in healthy canes to supply the necessary energy for the first flush of spring growth.
Related: 6 Summer Pruning Tips For More Rose Flowers and Healthier Bushes
Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Polyanthus And Grandifloras
- Cut back extra-strong canes to a 12″ to 18″ inch height. Other canes (as large in diameter as a lead pencil) should be cut back within 10″ to 15″ inches of the soil line.
- It is seldom wise to leave more than six canes on any rose plant.
- Remove altogether any canes which rub each other by crossing.
- All twiggy or weak growth should be cut back flush to an intense shoot.
Hybrid Perpetuals And Landscape Roses
Thin out old canes and keep only the largest. Prune these back to within two or three feet of the soil line.
Climbing Roses
(Read this section carefully, as there are several different classifications, each with pertinent suggestions.)
- Ramblers – Do not prune any canes that are unbranched, smooth-barked, or arise from the plant base. Some of these shoots could occur from old canes very low on the plant. These canes just described will bear rose blossoms this year. If removed or even tipped, flower production will be reduced.
- Dark-colored canes, usually well-branched and constituting most of the plant mass, bloomed last summer and will never bear flowers again. All of these canes and branches should be obliterated.
- Better plan to untie all canes from the trellis or fence before pruning and laying the canes on the ground. This action will make pruning easier.
- Once all the old wood is removed, tie up the remaining canes. Note the word “tie.” Do not try to twist, twine, or interlace rose canes into trellis or fence partitions.
- Climbing hybrid teas, floribundas, and other everblooming pillar types – Prune as described for bush types of these same rose varieties, but leave about one foot more of cane length than listed under previous suggestions.
Do remove all twiggy and excess growth.