When it comes to roses, New Zealanders are big fans. We join the New Zealand Rose Society, meander through the various rose gardens our beautiful country offers, and look up information on pruning roses in NZ. 

And while you might be familiar with the many rose varieties that grace gardens countrywide, do you know when to prune roses in NZ? Now, that part is tricky. Still, we’ve got the information you need to do a great job and be the envy of all your neighbours.

When to prune roses in New Zealand

Being a gardener is hard work. Sure, the fruits of your labour make it worth it, but knowing when to prune all your different plant varieties can take a lot of research. Learning when to prune roses is no different. It’s always worth looking at various resources and talking to experts so that you can squirrel away information for use at another time.

The best time for pruning roses in NZ is in the middle of winter and towards the end of winter. During this time of the year, your roses are dormant. If you prune too early, your roses may become confused by the haircut and decide to bloom early.

Many gardeners also prefer to prune their roses in August. New growth is just around the corner, and your roses can bounce back quickly. 

What you need to prune roses

If you’ve got a green thumb, then there’s every likelihood that you already own everything you need to prune your roses and bring them back to optimum health. However, if you’ve only just realised that roses need pruning, then it might be time to hit your local gardening store. (Remember, shop local!)

• Rose pruning gloves

• Secateurs

• Loppers or pruning saw

The best rose pruning gloves are those that extend past your wrists and up your arms. However, if you only have short ones, wear long sleeves to reduce the risks of being scratched. 

Any secateurs you own must be sharp enough to allow for a clean cut. Remember to clean your secateurs after each use with hot water and dishwashing liquid. Wipe away any dirt and keep your blades smooth with steel wool or a wire brush. To prevent corrosion, oil them regularly.

If your rose has thick canes that your secateurs can’t handle, then it also pays to invest in loppers, or a pruning saw. Both can be convenient additions to any gardening arsenal.

The step-by-step process for pruning roses in NZ

If you’re new to gardening, or at least new to rose pruning, then having a step-by-step guide can be quite helpful. Let the experts deliver! Read on to learn how your roses can look at their best.

Remember: your rose bush should be about half the size after pruning, put some people prefer only to remove a third – and that’s okay, too!

Step 1: Remove dead and damaged limbs

Life in the garden can take its toll – even for the hardiest of plants. So, in the middle of winter, use your secateurs or loppers to remove damaged or dead limbs. They serve no purpose other than to take up space. Remove them at the base of the plant to promote new growth in their place.

Step 2: Remove crossover and small branches

Branches that cross over each other are doing nothing for your rose plant’s growth or aesthetics. To direct new growth where you want it, use your secateurs to remove any branches that are crossing over each other.

While you’re doing that, take the opportunity to remove branches that are thinner than the average pencil. You can then focus on thick, strong branches that have outward-facing buds.

Step 3: Prevent diseases

Roses can be prone to all sorts of diseases. Fortunately, many products on the market can assist with most of them. However, while pruning roses in NZ, there is something you can do to help, as well.

Make a 45-degree cut above your rosebuds. By doing so, you’re helping with water run-off when it rains. If you can prevent water pooling on the stem, you may be able to prevent disease.

Step 4: Make sharp cuts

Having taken note of appropriate secateurs care above, you should be making clean cuts. By doing so, you can prevent dieback. Stand back and look at your handiwork. After pruning, your roses should look beautifully shaped and ready for new spring growth.

Or, leave it to the experts

You may enjoy having beautiful roses to look at on those sunny days, but not everyone has time to get them to that point. Rather than get your hands dirty, why not hire someone to take care of your gardens and lawns? You then don’t have to worry about when to prune roses, because an expert gardening team will worry about that for you.