Roses

[super1971]

do i cut them and prune them now or leave them - they are looking very straggly and bad -new house and new plants so dont know, thanks

According to my pruning book, you shouldn't prune roses after 1 October, because it doesn't allow the cut stems enough time to harden off before Winter comes.

As it's still only the beginning of October, though, I think you'd probably be OK if you pruned now. Cut old stems right back to ground level, cut other stems at a 45 degree angle about half an inch above a bud. If the plant is small or weak, just dead-head for now.

Pruning is best done every spring, with dead-heading of old flowers done throughout the Summer.

fab thanks easy when you know how, will risk it and do it tomorrow or wil that be bad?

Alan says late winter or early spring to prune roses.....and I always do what Alan says

does he define what months ? and whichmonths do you interprete it as?

I think early spring is when the daffodils bud.....maybe?

I interpret early Spring as being March, so I would prune somewhere between the end of February and the end of March.

I should think you'll get away with pruning tomorrow, particularly if you've got a lot of growth on the plants.