Are You Ready for Pruning Season?
February is the time to prune rose bushes. Pruning a rose bush prepares it for the next growing season by focusing the plant's energy into the strongest canes. By cutting out the diseased, dead, or weak canes, you are giving the rose bush a healthy foundation for new growth. Make sure you have the proper tools before starting and print off our pruning checklist at the end of this article to help guide you through the process. Happy pruning!
What Do I Need to Prune?
 | 1. Make sure your pruners are up to the task
Before you even step outside, make sure your pruners are free of rust and burrs. Sharpen them with a tool sharpener and clean off the rust with a multi-purpose lubrication oil. If your pruners have been neglected for a few seasons, you may need to replace the blade or get them professionally cleaned and sharpened at Witherspoon. By keeping your pruners sharpened you will put less strain on you body and reduce the risk of accidents. Most pruning accidents happen when the gardener is fighting the tool. Make your pruners work for you and stay safe by keeping them properly sharpened!
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2. Protect your hands and arms by wearing gauntlet gloves
Rose gardeners know that you will occasionally have to pull a thorn or two
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 | 3. Have a place for your clippings to go
Imagine this scenario. You have just pruned your entire rose garden only to turn around and see piles of thorny clippings waiting to be picked up and hauled away. If only you had thought to contain the clippings as you go! Having a heavy duty waste bag will save you from the heartache of cleaning up an entire gardens worth of clippings from off the ground.
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4. Heal and protect your hands and cuticles
It is easy to forget how much we use our hands until we are painfully reminded with cracked skin and sore cuticles. Make your life easier by taking care of your hands! Use a healing salve or lotion to keep your skin moisterized and healthy during the cold, dry winter months.
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 | 5. Witherspoon's Pruning Checklist
Now that you have everything you need to prune your roses, make sure you know how to prune like a pro! We have compiled a checklist of everything you need to know about pruning your roses. Print out this handy checklist and take it with you as a guide!
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Click Here to Print Witherspoon's Free Pruning Checklist!
Do you want some hands on experience pruning roses BEFORE you prune your own garden?
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