A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Trimming Rose Bush

New homeowner here, and this house came with a rose bush in the back. When am I supposed to trim it back for the winter?

Since I don't know what zone you are in on our beautiful planet Earth I'm going to tell you what I do in zone 9. I trim by roses back the first week in January all the way down so they are basically just sticks, right below the last branch with 5 leaves on it. That gives them some time to sleep in our little bit colder weather. Then in the spring, give them a chance to wake up with some new growth, then give them some rose food. Epsom salts are wonderful for roses. If you do a forum search (at the top of this screen in little print) you will find all sorts of posts on roses.

Hello Pellonpekko,
I am not too sure where on "earth" you are from!
What on earth was I thinkin'?

Weezie

Hey, Gardengirl,
We're posting together,

Jiffy and Loz and me usually do that!!

Great minds think alike!!

Weezie

LOL

i don't know what zone Colorado is in...

:p

I have alot of relatives that live in Colorado!!
<img border="0" alt="[clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />
One in Boulder, one in Denver, one in Littleton,
one in West Minster, and one in Englewood!!
Any close to you!!!

My Uncle lives in Denver, I know he got alot of snow late last year!

I think where he lived, was a zone 5....
Weezie

I personally wouldn't cut the rose 'til spring for you.. You'll get some dead parts from winter, just cut it off come late April(ish) past the dead cane to the nearest bud facing outward, in the direction you want it to grow...