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Home » Ornamental Garden » Roses

When to Prune Roses for Winter

Last Modified: Oct 4, 2024 by Rosefiend Cordell · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

When to Prune Roses for Winter pinterest image.
When to Prune Roses for Winter pinterest image.
When to Prune Roses for Winter pinterest image.
When to Prune Roses for Winter pinterest image.

The growing season is slowing down, the first frost is rolling in, and even though the roses are still blooming, you have to wonder: Is it time to start cutting them back?

The answer is No … and Yes.

Some roses need to be cut back in fall or even summer, in order to prevent winter damage from wind and snow. Some different varieties of roses can be cut back at different times.

Here are some of the ways to take care of roses in the fall, by pruning and other methods.

Jump to:
  • Why Prune a Rose?
  • Stop Fertilizing Your Roses in the Fall
  • Stop Deadheading Your Roses in the Fall
  • What Kind of Fall Pruning Do Roses Need?
  • Can I Prune a Climbing Rose in Fall?
  • Pruning a Knock Out Rose in Fall
  • When Is the Best Time to Prune Old Garden Roses?
  • Clean Off Your Pruners Between Roses
  • Conclusion

Why Prune a Rose?

Mr. Lincoln rose variety
Mr. Lincoln is a beauty in the fall. Don’t prune him back just yet.

Pruning in order to shape the rosebush helps to make it more attractive and keeps canes under control so they don’t reach out and snag you as you’re walking past. Pruning also encourages new growth, which means more blooms.

Pruning for new growth should be done in late winter or early spring when the first new sprigs appear. In spring, when the buds swell, you’re able to see which canes are healthy and which are not, and you can prune accordingly. You’re also pruning back in order to encourage new growth from the base. This is not the type of pruning you do in the fall.

The main concerns in fall will revolve around preparing the rose for winter. Only light pruning is necessary in fall, and taking care of possible winter hazards. So you’d be cutting back:

  • Canes that are too long
  • Broken or damaged canes
  • Canes that won’t fit under a protective cap or box

First, here are a few additional ways to care for your rose in the fall.

Stop Fertilizing Your Roses in the Fall

Finished compost, okay to apply in the fall

The last fertilization of roses should take place in mid-August. Fertilizing your roses after that will encourage new growth, which will then be killed off by the early frosts. So skip it!

However, it’s still okay to add finished compost to your roses. The amount of nutrients in compost is fairly minimal, so it won't trigger any new growth. However, the compost will improve the soil over the winter while the roses are dormant. Roses love that.

Stop Deadheading Your Roses in the Fall

Stop deadheading roses in the fall
Don’t deadhead the rose in the fall. The rosebush might look rough as a result, but it will become hardier in winter.

Roses will keep blooming when you deadhead them. Deadheading also encourages the rose to send up soft, succulent new shoots – which isn’t so great in fall. These soft shoots end up getting destroyed in the first hard freeze.

Instead, lay aside the clippers. Let your roses go to seed or develop hips.

Rose hips on a rose bush
Rose hips are the fruit of the rose that forms (on some roses) after the pollinated flower loses its petals.

Letting the hips form signals to the rose that it's time to stop new growth and start getting ready for winter dormancy.

Not all roses form hips, but they’ll still understand the message that you give when you stop deadheading them.

What Kind of Fall Pruning Do Roses Need?

Pruning a rose in fall to protect it over winter
Reasons to prune in the fall include protecting the plant from breakage, disease control, and removing damaging crossed canes.

Here are several types of pruning that all roses need in fall.

  • With tall roses, prune back the top third of the plant to keep them from breaking under the weight of snow or freezing back. This pruning should be done in early winter or after the first killing frost, once most of the leaves have fallen off and the plant is in a semi-dormant state.
  • Remove broken, damaged, or crossed canes. It’s best to deal with these whenever you see them, and fall is a great time to assess the roses and take out problematic canes.
  • Snip off the foliage. In late fall, about a month after the first frost, snip the leaves off your roses. They often hold diseases that could overwinter and affect next year’s growth.

Read more about 20+ expert tips for pruning roses in spring.

Can I Prune a Climbing Rose in Fall?

A climbing rose in full bloom
Roses like ‘New Dawn’ might need a little fall pruning to help keep it in bounds.

In fall, the biggest concern with climbing roses is to keep them from breaking under winter snows and, in far northern climates, protecting them from the worst of the drying winds of winter.

Give climbing roses a light pruning in order to keep them within bounds:

  • Cut off stems that are growing away from the supports.
  • Cut off canes that could break off under winter snow.
  • Prune out any unhealthy canes – those that are dead, dying, or damaged.
  • Tie the remaining stems more securely to their supports.
  • A month after the first freeze cut off the foliage. If you don’t have enough time to do this, concentrate on diseased leaves.
  • Remove old canes at the base of the plant.
  • On a mild day when temperatures are above freezing, spray the canes with an antidessicant such as Wilt-Pruf. This will keep the rose canes from drying out and dying.

Read more about climbing roses here.

Pruning a Knock Out Rose in Fall

Knock Out rose bush
Knock Out roses are pruned in much the same way as other roses.

First, wait for them to reach their mature height of three to four feet tall to prune them. Once they're mature, the best time to prune them would be in late winter or early spring when their buds start to form. Cut them back by about a third and remember to shape them as you trim them.

Again, as with other roses, trim them in late fall or deadhead them but allow them to form hips so they can get themselves ready for winter.

Read more about growing roses and rose gardens.

When Is the Best Time to Prune Old Garden Roses?

Old garden rose variety, Madame Pantier
Antique roses such as Madame Plantier that bloom once a year are generally cut back after they have finished blooming.

By old garden roses I mean roses that were bred before the first hybrid tea rose was introduced in 1867. These are antique roses that generally bloom once a year.

The best time to prune old garden roses that bloom only once a year would be directly after the rose has finished blooming. That's the one hard and fast rule for pruning old roses. Cut the rose back by a third or by half – no more than that. It's best not to overdo it since cutting them back harder would possibly lead to shock.

Now some roses will prefer being cut back further, while other roses would prefer a light trim. There's some variance between rose varieties, and sometimes it's just a matter of experimenting to find out what works best for your roses.

Clean Off Your Pruners Between Roses

Cleaning pruners between rose bushes to prevent disease spread
Protip: As you prune, use rubbing alcohol on a rag to wipe off the pruners between roses. Diseases can be moved from one cut to another with unsterile blades.

Conclusion

Fall pruning of roses for winter isn’t as intensive as spring pruning, but it helps to get the roses cleaned up by removing dead and damaged canes, clipping off foliage, and bringing long canes under control so they don’t get broken or desiccated. Doing these things will keep your roses happy and healthy through even the worst of winters.

Read more gardening advice from Rosefiend Cordell.

Related:

  • 10 of the Most Delightfully Fragrant Roses You Can Grow
  • Roses Full Growing Guide (Plant, Grow, and Care)
  • 21 Best Companion Plants for Roses
  • 7 Tips for Growing a Low Maintenance Rose Garden + 7 Great Varieties

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