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Pruning roses

Getting someone else to do a job for you can be costly. But with the right approach you can do a lot by yourself. You’ll save time and money by using the handy step-by-step instructions that you’ll find on the SKIL website. These step-by-step instructions are divided into categories relating to the different kinds of jobs in and around the home, and give you clear, A to Z explanations.

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  1. What tool do you need to prune your roses?

    Rosebushes have fairly thin to medium-thick stems. That make secateurs with a parrot beak and a pruning saw the most suitable tools for pruning your rosebush.
  2. What do you need to think about when pruning roses?

    Generally, rosebushes can be pruned back until between 3 and 5 main stems. This will allow new stems to grow properly, keeping your bush neat, tidy and youthful. The red points on the stems are bud eyes. This is where new shoots grow from. Always prune above an eye or shoot that faces outwards on the bush. This ensures that new stems grow in the right direction and keeps the interior of the bush open so that sunlight can penetrate better.

  3. How should you prune your roses?

    Step 1: Dead stems
    Start by removing dead stems. Dead stems are darker, harder and more wrinkled than the younger, greener stems. You should cut this dead wood out completely.

    Step 2: Crossing stems
    Prune one of two crossing stems that are rubbing against each other to prevent damage.

    Step 3: Other stems
    Prune the old stems, which are a little browner and more wrinkled than healthy stems, which are often thicker and typically bright green. Once you’ve done this, it will be easy to distinguish thin, limp stems from the full, fresh stems. You should prune these too, to give the healthy stems more space and to prevent unhealthy stems from taking moisture from the healthy stems.

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