A rosehip bush can form protective thickets. It knows how to defend itself with its thorns and acts as an ideal bird protection tree. However, to keep it looking good and to keep it blooming, it should be trimmed regularly.
How do I cut a rosehip bush correctly?
When cutting the rosehip bush, you should only thin it out and not cut it back too much, as it blooms on the previous year's wood. Radical pruning can be carried out every three to four years to remove woody shoots and ensure uniform growth.
A cut is not a compulsion
Basically, the dog rose or rose hip bush does not necessarily need pruning. It is sufficient to cut this plant every few years when its growth becomes excessive and threatens to displace other plants from its location.
Thinning out the rosehip bush
Ideally, the rose hip bush is only thinned out and not cut back heavily. The reason for this: It blooms on wood that was formed the previous year. Too much and careless pruning would cause the number of flowers to decrease significantly or the flowers to fail completely.
Thinning can be done all year round. However, it is recommended in autumn. All disturbing shoots are removed. The new shoots should not be cut off as they will bear the bush's flowers the following year. The branches that were cut off during thinning can then be used to propagate this plant.
Make a radical cut
Although it is enough to thin out the rosehip bush, it may be advisable to cut it back radically every three to four years. There are several reasons for this:
- after this time most shoots are woody andold and therefore less willing to flower
- holes often appear in the bushes
- to maintain an attractive growth habit
- for even growth
The radical pruning of this plant is carried out in autumn between October and early December on frost-free days. The shoots are shortened by 1/4 to half. The scissors are placed 5 mm above a new shoot pointing outwards.
What you need to pay attention to
The following should always be taken into account when cutting the dog rose:
- cut diagonally so that the wounds heal quickly
- Use sharp rose scissors (€25.00 on Amazon) to cut and wear gloves to protect against the thorns
- remove dead and diseased wood to the base
- cutting back branches affected by pests
- cut back weak shoots heavily
Tips & Tricks
Cut out old wood regularly as it is more susceptible to pests and the dog rose costs unnecessary energy.
