When the buds swell, it's time for a nourishing spring pruning. Cutting maintains and improves rose he alth, promotes flowering and extends the lifespan of the flowers - this of course also applies to rose hedges. However, keep in mind that these romantic hedges cannot be shaped precisely like box or conifer hedges.
How do you trim a rose hedge correctly?
When cutting a rose hedge in spring, you should first remove frozen, diseased and weak shoots. Cut above an outward-facing eye to keep the shrub open and airy. Cut roses that bloom frequently in spring, and cut roses that bloom once directly after flowering.
Wild roses require little care
When it comes to pruning care, wild roses and their hybrids are the easiest to handle because you can simply let these roses grow - wild roses should generally be pruned as little as possible. However, you can also dare to prune wild roses more vigorously; the robust roses will be able to cope with it and will keep sprouting again. Wild roses have the ability to constantly rejuvenate from the base, adapted to regular browsing by wild animals.
Pay attention to the eyes when cutting
In spring, the swelling eyes on the ends of the shoots are the first thing you notice. The so-called “sleeping eyes” underneath only sprout later. They are initially only visible as a faint horizontal line. Pruning is intended to promote the formation of new shoots from the lower sleeping eyes. If you cut about five to ten millimeters above an outward-pointing eye, then the new shoot will also grow outwards. The technology keeps the bush open and airy and thus prevents fungal diseases - particularly important in a densely growing rose hedge.
Different pruning rules for different types of roses
Frequently blooming roses bloom on this year's shoots, i.e. H. on one-year-old wood. Pruning in spring promotes new shoots and thus an abundance of flowers in the same year. Single-blooming roses bloom on the shoots they formed the previous year and on perennial wood. They are therefore only cut immediately after flowering. Then they develop new shoots that can still mature well until winter.
Thinning out and rejuvenating rose hedges
For all roses, spring pruning begins with a thinning cut. First, cut all frozen and diseased shoots back to the base or into the he althy wood. He althy shoots show whitish pith, diseased ones brownish. Then remove all thin and weak shoots; the stronger ones can support the flowers better. Crossing shoots should also be cut back because they injure each other. Therefore, remove the weaker one.
Tip
Furthermore, cut all three to five-year-old branches - you can recognize them by their bark - back to the ground. The cut stimulates the formation of new shoots.