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Flowering shrubs · pruning calendar

When to prune roses

Repeat-blooming roses (hybrid teas, floribundas, Knock Out and most shrub roses) get their main pruning in late winter or early spring, as the buds swell. Once-blooming roses and many climbers are pruned right after they flower.

Should I prune my roses this month?

Your ZIP picks your climate row in the chart below. Use a USDA zone instead

Repeat-blooming (hybrid tea, floribunda, Knock Out)

How to tell: Flowers in flushes from late spring until frost.

Rose, Repeat-blooming (hybrid tea, floribunda, Knock Out): pruning by month and USDA zone band
ClimateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Coldzones 3–5January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Don’t prune nowMarch: WaitApril: Prune nowMay: WaitJune: WaitJuly: WaitAugust: WaitSeptember: WaitOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Temperatezones 6–8January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Prune nowMarch: Prune nowApril: WaitMay: WaitJune: WaitJuly: WaitAugust: WaitSeptember: WaitOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Warmzones 9–11January: Prune nowFebruary: Prune nowMarch: WaitApril: WaitMay: WaitJune: WaitJuly: WaitAugust: WaitSeptember: WaitOctober: WaitNovember: WaitDecember: Wait
  • Prune now
  • Wait
  • Don’t prune now
  • Don’t prune now Hard cuts now push tender new growth that cold weather kills. Wait for late winter.
  • Wait Not the main pruning time. Remove dead or damaged canes only. The main pruning is when buds begin to swell.
  • Prune now Buds are starting to swell. This is the main pruning of the year.
  • Wait Deadhead spent flowers to keep blooms coming. Save hard cuts for late winter.
  • Wait Let it slow down for winter. Save the main pruning for late winter.
  • Wait Too early. Wait until the buds begin to swell, so you can see any winter damage.

How to cut: Remove dead, damaged and crossing canes first. Then cut healthy canes back by about a third to a half, just above an outward-facing bud. No wound sealer needed.

Once-blooming (old garden roses, many climbers and ramblers)

How to tell: One big show of flowers in late spring or early summer, then no more that year.

Rose, Once-blooming (old garden roses, many climbers and ramblers): pruning by month and USDA zone band
ClimateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Coldzones 3–5January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Don’t prune nowMarch: Don’t prune nowApril: WaitMay: Don’t prune nowJune: Don’t prune nowJuly: Prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Temperatezones 6–8January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Don’t prune nowMarch: WaitApril: Don’t prune nowMay: Don’t prune nowJune: Prune nowJuly: Prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Warmzones 9–11January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: WaitMarch: WaitApril: Don’t prune nowMay: Prune nowJune: Prune nowJuly: Don’t prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
  • Prune now
  • Wait
  • Don’t prune now
  • Don’t prune now These roses bloom on last year’s canes. Cutting now removes next season’s flowers.
  • Wait Remove dead or damaged canes only. Save shaping for right after flowering.
  • Prune now Flowering just ended. Prune now so the new canes have time to grow next year’s flowers.

How to cut: Take out a few of the oldest, least productive canes at the base, and remove no more than about a third of the plant.

I’m not sure

How to tell: Watch it this year. Flowers again after the first flush = repeat-blooming. One big show in late spring or early summer = once-blooming.

Rose, I’m not sure: pruning by month and USDA zone band
ClimateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Coldzones 3–5January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Don’t prune nowMarch: Don’t prune nowApril: WaitMay: Don’t prune nowJune: Don’t prune nowJuly: Prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Temperatezones 6–8January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: Don’t prune nowMarch: WaitApril: Don’t prune nowMay: Don’t prune nowJune: Prune nowJuly: Prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
Warmzones 9–11January: Don’t prune nowFebruary: WaitMarch: WaitApril: Don’t prune nowMay: Prune nowJune: Prune nowJuly: Don’t prune nowAugust: Don’t prune nowSeptember: Don’t prune nowOctober: Don’t prune nowNovember: Don’t prune nowDecember: Don’t prune now
  • Prune now
  • Wait
  • Don’t prune now
  • Don’t prune now Hold off. If it’s a once-blooming rose, cutting now removes next season’s flowers.
  • Wait Remove dead or damaged canes only. That’s safe for any rose.
  • Prune now The first flush of flowers just ended. A light shaping now is safe for both types.

How to cut: Remove dead wood any time. Shape lightly after the first flush, and note whether it blooms again so you’ll know next year.

Sources

Months are grouped into broad USDA zone bands, so local weather, elevation and the plant itself still have the final say.

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