Basic Pruning
Most roses can be pruned quite easily. Allow the plant to grow and fill out during its first and second years. At the end of the third season, shear off the top third of the plant, trimming all branches to achieve a uniform shape. To encourage new blooms, trim away old flowers as they fade throughout the blooming season.

In additon to the steps outlined below for hybrid tea roses, click here for more tips based on other rose class.

	Step 1 Examine the rose for sucker growth (any shoot that grows below the bud union – occurs on grafted roses only). If suckers are present dig down and pull them out from the root. Suckers rob the plant of its strength.
	Step 2 Remove dead wood (distinguishable by its darker color) and broken or diseased canes. Prune 1⁄4" above an outfacing bud, 2"-3" below the damage.
	Step 3 Prune away weak or spindly canes, leaving the stronger ones to grow. If canes are crossed or badly congested, remove the smaller, weaker canes. This will strengthen remaining canes and preserve the health of the plant.
	Step 4 Prune all remaining canes to maintain a rounded form and encourage growth. Cut 1⁄4" above the nearest outfacing bud at the height you desire. For larger blooms, leave 3-5 canes and prune back to 12"-18" high. For more blooms and a larger shrub, leave 5-12 canes and prune to 1⁄2 -2⁄3 of present height.

Pruning Tools:
Use any pruning shears designed for roses. A 2" blade works best, or use a long-handled lopping shears for larger, more mature canes.

When to Prune:
The best time to prune is late winter, before new growth starts in the spring, sometime after the last hard frost. Do not prune once new growth is 2" -3" long. Fall pruning is necessary only when plants are extremely tall, to prevent wind damage during winter.

What to Prune:
Weak, diseased or winter-damaged wood, which looks brown and dry on the outside, should be removed 1 -2 inches below the damage. Also remove any branch crossing or rubbing another — always leave the newest, healthiest cane.

Pruning for Show-Quality Blooms:
If you choose to grow your rose plants to produce fewer but larger, show-quality blooms, prune according to the illustrated steps. Always trim away old flowers as they fade to encourage new and larger blooms.