No matter what type of roses you are growing, it is always important to prune them.  While many that have roses will often stray away from this process, it is always a good idea.  When you decide to prune, you are ensuring healthier roses in your garden.  Despite the technique that you decide to use, and even if you prune your roses without following the exact directions, it will help your roses to grow.  Here are three main reasons why you should prune your roses. 

1.  To stimulate growth.  No matter what time of year you decide to prune your roses, it is essential that they have exposure to the sunlight and air.  By doing this, it will help to stimulate their growth.  Open air allows sunlight and air to move through the plants, giving them the nutrients that they need throughout the summer months. If old roses end up staying in the same place, and if the roses are not pruned to allow this in, it will block off the nutrients and cause a lack of circulation to the roses.  This will often cause the roses to not be able to grow and bloom the way that they could. 

2.   Take control over wintering bugs and diseases.  Over the winter months, bugs and diseases will find that rose bushes are a warm place for them to hide.  They often can stay hidden when spring comes around.  By pruning roses, they will have to leave the home that they have made over the winter.  Part of pruning is also removing dead wood and decay that has built up from before.  If the dead wood and decay stays, it will often cause other diseases in your roses.  By removing them, it will allow more space for the roses to grow, and will allow healthier growth by the roses. 

3.   Ways to ensure good quality and quantity of roses.  When you have rose bushes that are weak and have thin stems, pruning will help them to become stronger.  If the smaller stems are not pruned, they will eventually seed and become dormant.  Over time, the roses will deteriorate in their appearance and become smaller than they were before.  Even if they are not pruned properly, it will help them to grow stronger.  If the stems of the roses are somewhat larger and thicker, there will be fewer blooms, but they will be a better quality.  The more you prune the better quality roses you will end up having. 

Pruning never takes more than a sharp pair of pruning shears as well as thick gloves.  It is then a matter of finding the right time to prune your roses, whether it is in the spring, or simply watching for when the leaf buds begin to swell.  Each type of rose will need to be pruned at different times, according to when they will begin to bloom and what the high season for them is. 

Another thing to look for when pruning roses is how you will cut each rose.  Having a bad cut will often result in the roses having a harder time growing back.  However, if this does occur, it is better to have a bad cut then to not cut at all.  Make sure to watch for things such as a rough cut, which causes bruised tissue in the stem, and is slow to heal.  This can be avoided by making sure you have the proper tools, as well as removing dead wood before cutting.  Another bad cut is when the angle of the prune is not set right.  Slopes should always be cut towards the bud.  A third cut that may cause problems is when the cut is too high from the bud.  This makes it harder for the nutrients to reach the bud.

Pruning allows a way for roses to become stronger and more vital plants.  By cutting down the old growth, you are allowing room for the roses to grow.  No matter what type of roses you have, and even if you make a cut that turns out wrong, pruning is always a way to ensure that your roses will remain healthy by giving them the proper nutrients, space, and care while they are in growth.   

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