When should I prune my roses?
Late winter or early spring, as the buds swell. How the timing and the cut change for hybrid teas, shrub roses and climbers.
Start here
Prune most roses in late winter or early spring, when the buds along the canes start to swell. In mild climates that can be quite early. In cold areas, wait until the worst frost is past.
Why that timing
Swelling buds show you where new growth will come from, so you can choose which to keep. Pruning too early can trigger soft growth that a late frost will kill.
By rose type
- Hybrid teas and floribundas. The hardest prune. Keep three to five healthy canes and cut each back by about a third to a half.
- Shrub roses. Lighter. Remove dead wood and a few of the oldest canes, then shape.
- Climbers. Keep the main framework. Shorten the side shoots that flowered last year.
- Once-blooming roses. Prune right after flowering, since they bloom on old wood.
Through the season
Deadhead spent blooms through summer to keep repeat bloomers flowering. Stop deadheading in early autumn so the plant can slow down before winter.
More plant-by-plant timing in the pruning guide.
When and how to prune shrubs, roses and fruit trees at home