A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Question about Roses

Hi - once a rose has finished blooming - and the petals have fallen off - are you supposed to cut it off? If so, where do you cut it?

Thanks!!

I always dead head my roses unless it's a dog rose, then the bright red hips are as beuatiful as any flower.

Cut back the flower stem to the first leaf is enough. Just to stop the plant putting it's energy into seed production.

Good pruning in March April (UK)

Wildwing, welcome to the forum! I deadhead my roses back to the first set of 3 leaves because that's what my mom told me to do. :)Not sure if its the best way but it works for me. If its a cluster of flowers all blooming at different stages, I just pop the offending head off so the rest can bloom. In Ca. where the climate is a bit mild I prune them back to the canes in January to make them rest for a few months. How cold does it get where you are in New Mexico?

Atreus, I love your pictures! Your dahila is amazing!

Thanks Gardengal, I love dahlias. My Mom grew them when I was a kid and they remind me of childhood, enough soppy, I still love to produce really spectacular flowers

Oooh Oooh I can help here, I think!

I have umteen million rosebushes...because I'm nuts, and I love em too. My mom told me that once they were done flowering to cut them on a diagonal, just above the first set of 5 leaves (start looking from the top, down). If you do, you'll get new buds and encourage more growth - my roses have rebloomed about 6 times already this summer. Wahoo! Hope that helps