Pruning Roses in Florida
For the most part, pruning roses in Florida should be done only once each year. That said, in the south of the state, major pruning should be carried out once but a secondary pruning at a later date can be beneficial.
Prune your roses any time throughout February.
Any branches that are dead, are dying, or branches that are crossing over one another should be removed. Any stray-growing branches – branches that detract from the overall shape of the bush, should also be removed, or at least cut back.
Mature canes can be shortened by around one-half.
To help avoid any dieback and to encourage growth, prune a little above a currently dormant bud. Half an inch above the bud is a good place to cut.
Cut at a 40-degree angle so that water runs off the cut area rather than collects there.
If there’s any growth coming from the rootstock, rather than cutting it off try to break it off. If you cut suckers off they tend to regrow rather quickly. By breaking them this discourages regrowth from occurring.
Some experts suggest that you spray your roses with a fungicide after pruning. Kocide fungicide is readily available at hardware stores and online. Personally, I’ve never done this – never used a fungicide after pruning roses – and my own roses grow like daisies proliferating in an unattended lawn.
As for flowers, remove them when they fade. They can either be snipped off with a pair of secateurs or a sharp pair of scissors or you can gently snap them off with your fingers.
