DEADHEADING:

Roses bloom from late May through October. Spent flowers need to be pruned (aka "deadheaded") to promote continuous blooming. When a spent bloom is pruned, a new stem breaks from the lower leaf joint. Prune the stem (also know as a "cane") just above a leaf joint. Of note, roses do not go into dormancy but as the temperatures drop and the days shorter, few flowers are produced.

SPRING PRUNING:

Here in the Pacific NW, the President’s Day holiday (early February) serves as a good spring pruning reminder date since we are most likely free from any more hard freezes. So, grab your pruners and take your rose bushes down to a height of 18”-24,” cutting the canes just above the nearest healthy dormant bud. Keep as many healthy canes as possible but remove any smaller than a pencil in diameter. Remove any crossing canes and aim to open out the center of the bush. Finish off the job with a top dressing of organic compost. And then await your reward of beautiful blooms in three months or less!