Following an unplanned hiatus, with family mattters eating up my rose time, I'm getting back into gear. No better way of doing that than a really good catch-up.
The question most asked at this time of year is 'when do I prune my roses?' Judging by my own neighbourhood a lot of people do it way too early, sometimes as soon as bushes begin dropping leaves in late May or June. And it's a real shame. Early winter blooms are amongst the best your bushes can give you. They are often larger, more fragrant and better shaped than the hurried blooms of summer.
The following photos were all taken in June 2004:
Worse still, you don't just miss out on this season's blooms by pruning too early. It also prompts new growth that will get stunted when the real winter hits in July and early August. By pruning in late July, that new growth will be right in time for spring and it should thrive with thick stems as the weather warms.
The search engine data for this site suggests that rose pruning is a 'hot topic'. I've never written much about pruning because it's not worth so much fuss, but by popular demand... This winter I will record my cuts on camera and expand the cultivation page on rose pruning, with before, during and after shots. For those who want more, you can see live pruning demonstrations at the Swanes nursery at Dural around this time of year. You can even buy Ben Swane's pruning video, which is very instructive but not to be viewed in the company of non-rose-lovers (who will be so bored that they might take to you with the secateurs).
Have a good winter. Pray for rain.
Daniel.