Rose pruning tips for stronger, more vibrant flowers

Roses and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand — so it’s a great time to give your perennial flowers some love and care. Regular rose pruning is essential to keep your plants healthy, vibrant and full of blooms year after year.

Mike Arnold, Ph.D., professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Horticultural Sciences and director of The Gardens at Texas A&M University, recommends pruning roses before they break winter dormancy, typically between January and March depending on location.

“Around Valentine’s Day, we’re thinking about roses, and that is a perfect reminder to prune the roses in our landscapes,” he said.

Why pruning matters

Pruning does more than shape your roses — it helps promote growth, improves air circulation and sun exposure, in addition to reducing incidence of fungal diseases like black spot, explained Arnold. If you strategically cut, it allows you to influence the plant’s directional growth.

Two types of roses

There are two types of roses:

• Hybrid tea roses — These grow upright, produce fewer but larger flowers and are better for cutting and floral arrangements.
• Landscape roses – These grow in a bushier form, offering many flowers that make a stunning floral display in the landscape.

“Hybrid teas are all about the size and quality of the individual roses, while landscape roses provide color with an abundance of smaller flowers,” Arnold said.

Choosing the right pruning methods

The way you prune influences the size and number of blooms:

• Hard pruning removes more stems but leads the rose bushes to grow longer and produce more flowers. This method is perfect for pruners who like to cut roses for displays and bouquets.
• Light pruning creates more stems with smaller flowers, which can add more floral color in the landscape.

How to make the right cuts

Arnold suggests cutting about half an inch above a bud that you want to “break” or grow new shoots from. He mentions that you can play with the shape by choosing buds based on the direction they will grow.

“Avoid directing new shoots over the top of another branch – this helps keep the canopy open and encourages a wider form,” he said.

Rose rosette prevention

Rose growers should take precautions against rose rosette disease, a deadly virus typically spread by tiny mites, because the disease can also be transmitted by contaminated pruning tools.

For the best protection, rotate between two sets of pruners, soaking one while using the other. Spraying and wiping tools between cuts can also reduce the risk of spreading disease.

Kevin Ong, Ph.D., director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostics Laboratory and associate department head for the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, recommends sterilizing pruning tools between plants — or even between major cuts — using a weak water-bleach solution, Lysol or rubbing alcohol.

“It’s just a good practice to sterilize your pruning tools,” he said.

Roses’ impact on the green industry

Roses aren’t just a garden favorite — they’re a powerhouse in the ornamental horticulture industry. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, garden roses contribute approximately $168 million in wholesale value and are a cornerstone of the multi-billion-dollar landscape and shrub industry.  

However, regardless, if the roses are in a Valentine’s Day bouquet or blooming in your backyard, roses are here to stay — keeping them healthy with proper pruning ensures they continue to brighten our lives year after year.