Okay kids, this is it. No photos this time; just info! I talked a while back about prepping the roses for bad weather. If you have not done that, get out there now! Any extra long branches should be shortened. Think about ice on what you are looking at and what that ice might do to that rose bush. Shorten enough so that the branch will not be broken off. I did talk about that before. What I did not mention was the climbers. They should not be pruned now but they should be tied to something . This way if the ice covers them, they will not break off. I have my one climber up against a sturdy trellis. I used some shoelace type string that will not cut through the branches but will keep them secure. They cannot even sway too much in the wind.l So, I am done with my roses for a while. Now, we just watch and pray the power does not go out .Yikes! I would prefer a white Christmas to an iced Christmas! Do I have a choice?!
December 13, 2008...3:12 pm
PREPARE: THE ICE MAN COMETH! by botanicalann
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2 Comments
December 23, 2008 at 8:34 pm
hmm— I always heard that roses needed a gap between pruning and cold weather… have I heard wrong or just a poor listener?
December 29, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Wayne, I don’t do a big pruning until spring. You did not hear wrong. There is something to be said for the long branches which can get frozen with ice and rip off. That can do more damage than a slight bit of pruning. Save the major pruning till spring.