Pruning roses before winter helps protect plants from wind damage, snow breakage, and disease. Because winter pruning focuses on stabilizing rather than shaping (which is done in spring), the goal is to remove weak growth and reduce the plant’s overall height so cold weather cannot snap or split canes.
Different rose types require different strategies, as their flowering habits and cane structures vary.

---

1. General Principles of Winter Rose Pruning

Before discussing each variety, learn these universal guidelines:

Timing

• Late fall, after the first hard frost, but before heavy snow.
• The plant should be entering dormancy.

Tools

• Sharp bypass pruners
• Loppers for thick canes
• Gloves with long cuffs
• Sanitizing alcohol (clean between plants)

Cuts

• Remove soft, green, easily damaged growth.
• Remove dead, diseased, or crossing canes.
• Shorten tall canes by one-third to one-half to prevent winter wind-rock.
• Do not do major shaping now—save that for early spring.

Wound Sealing

• Normally not required unless in very wet climates where fungal issues are severe.

---

2. Winter Pruning by Rose Type

---

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid teas produce flowers on new season growth, so winter pruning focuses on structural safety rather than bloom management.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Remove all soft, thin, or spindly stems.
2. Cut remaining tall canes down to about 60–90 cm (2–3 ft).
3. Remove all dead, diseased, or damaged wood.
4. Clip off any foliage still clinging to stems to reduce overwintering pests.
5. In windy regions, tie canes together softly with jute to prevent breakage.

---

Floribunda Roses

Floribundas have bushier growth and thicker clusters of stems.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Reduce the plant’s height by one-third.
2. Remove weak or crossing stems.
3. Maintain a round, stable structure.
4. Deadhead remaining blooms.

---

Grandiflora Roses

Grandifloras combine traits of hybrid teas and floribundas, producing tall, vigorous plants.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Reduce height to 90–120 cm (3–4 ft).
2. Remove thin side shoots or anything less than pencil thickness.
3. Keep 4–6 strong canes for stability.

---

Shrub Roses (Including Rugosas)

Shrub roses are hardy and require minimal winter pruning.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Remove dead or diseased canes.
2. Lightly shorten overly tall stems by 20–30 percent if needed.
3. Avoid heavy pruning until spring.
4. Rugosa roses should be pruned lightly, as they respond poorly to hard cuts.

---

English Roses (David Austin Types)

These roses are dense and heavy, making them susceptible to snow damage.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Shorten the plant by one-third to one-half.
2. Remove weak interior stems.
3. Tie tall shoots to stakes or supports to prevent cracking.

---

Miniature and Miniflora Roses

These compact roses require very little winter pruning.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Deadhead and remove weak stems.
2. Reduce height by about 10–20 percent.
3. Clear foliage from the plant base.

---

Climbing Roses (Repeat-Blooming Types)

Climbing roses should not be heavily pruned in winter, as many bloom on old wood.

Winter Pruning Steps

1. Remove dead or diseased wood only.
2. Shorten lateral flowering branches to 30–45 cm (12–18 in).
3. Tie main canes securely to supports.
4. Avoid removing major structural canes unless they are dead.

---

Rambling Roses (Once-Blooming Types)

Ramblers produce long, flexible canes and bloom once in a single flush.

Winter Pruning Steps

• Perform minimal pruning.
• Remove only dead, diseased, or severely tangled canes.
• Do not reduce size heavily before winter.

Ramblers should be pruned after flowering in summer, not in winter.

---

3. Post-Pruning Winter Protection

Mounding Soil or Compost

• Build a 20–30 cm (8–12 in) mound around the crown, especially for hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras.

Mulching

• Add 5–10 cm of straw, shredded leaves, or bark around the base (not directly on the crown).

Wrapping

• Use burlap in extremely cold climates.
• For climbers, wrap lower canes and insulate with straw.

Watering

• Give a deep watering before the ground freezes.
• Moist soil insulates roots better than dry soil.

---

4. Regional Considerations

Cold Climates (USDA Zones 3–5)

• Heavy soil mounding
• Burlap wrapping
• More aggressive height reduction

Mild Winter Areas (Zones 7–10)

• Light pruning only
• No need for mounding
• Emphasis on disease cleanup

Very Wet Regions

• Improve drainage
• Minimize mulch
• Consider sealing large cuts

---

Winter pruning protects roses from cold damage and prepares them for vigorous spring growth. By adjusting your approach based on rose type, you can ensure each plant survives winter in strong, healthy condition and produces abundant blooms when warm weather returns.

http://applebeeflower.com/