Almost every garden friend has one or two rose bushes in his garden. With the right care, roses will delight you with abundant flowering, often and depending on the weather from spring until well into autumn. But the question often arises whether the faded rose petals should remain on the bush or whether it is better to remove them. This is mainly dependent on the type of rose that was grown in the garden. Because rose varieties that bloom once are treated differently than those that bloom several times a year. The article also addresses all questions and explains how the faded flowers should ideally be treated.
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Different sorts
Roses can be very different. In addition to the tall climbing roses, shrubs and bushes, there are also those growing close to the ground. And in the same way, the different varieties are also divided into those that bloom several times a year and those that bloom only once a year. Usually it is the wild climbing and rambler roses that only bloom once a year and then develop their decorative rose hips. Above all, this includes the old varieties, such as “Bobby James”. In the meantime, however, the climbing roses are also grown to flower several times. It is therefore important for every hobby gardener to know which category the rose bushes or climbing roses growing in the garden belong to. If you do not yet know which varieties your own roses belong to in the garden, you can proceed as follows to determine this:
- ask the dealer when buying
- if the rose bushes have been in the garden for a long time, observe
- the first flowers appear early on those that bloom several times
- these bloom as early as March / April, depending on the weather
- if new inflorescences keep forming, it is a perennial variety
- If flowers only show quite late in summer, they only bloom once
- then let the rose petals stand
- rose hips are formed
In the past, wild climbing roses and long-sprouting ramblers were mostly single-flowered, while the bushes had single and multiple-flowered ones. Due to the many new breeds, however, this can no longer be taken as a guiding principle for your own rose bush. So today there are multiple and uniquely blooming roses in all varieties.
Tip: The only mistake that can be made in a year is that the rose no longer blooms after the faded umbels have been cut off and thus no more rose hips form in autumn. But in the next year you can proceed exactly as it is right for your own roses. Because the graceful plants forgive a lot.
The right time
The ideal time to remove the rose petals depends on the type of rose. In all roses that bloom several times a year, the inflorescences should be cut back immediately after they have faded. If there are faded rose blossoms on a shrub that only shows its blooming splendor once a year, then these should remain in place so that the decorative rose hips can show themselves. Because the large seed containers are still beautiful garden decorations in autumn. The right time is to be named as follows:
- in the case of multiple blooming rose bushes, always when one bloom has faded
- so must be cut all year round
- Always keep an eye on rose bushes
- respond as quickly as possible
- in this way the ability to flower is retained
- there are no pauses in bloom
- in the case of single bloomers, only cut back everything with the spring pruning
- Rose hips are not removed separately
- however, these can also be harvested if necessary
Tip: Rose hips are very tasty and not only serve as a dispenser for seeds, but can also be used in the kitchen. Rosehip tea is best known, but it can also be very tasty and used in various dishes.
The right cut
The right pruning is not only necessary to make roses winter-proof or to prune them in such a way that they sprout many new shoots. The faded rose petals shouldn’t just be clipped off with your fingers on the head, they also need the right cut so that, for example, the rose bushes that bloom several times can bloom from March / April to October and longer, depending on the weather, for a long time holds.
Pruning back multiple flowers
Multiple blooming rose bushes often bloom as umbels, that is, many rose petals hang on one stem. The number also depends on whether the flowers are small or large. Because there are usually many small, individual flowers hanging on the umbels, creating a decorative overall picture. Individual, faded parts can simply be broken out here without damaging the others. If an entire umbel has faded, it should be cut. The procedure is as follows:
- do not start cutting directly under the umbellate
- part of the shoot should also be removed
- Pay attention to the developed leaves
- these are always set to five to seven on one shoot
- Cut back over the first or second fully developed leaf
- Rose petals from hybrid tea roses are usually single
- also cut off the first or second leaf after it has faded
- To correct the height of stature in summer, pruning can also be made deeper
- in this case, however, the next flower will develop later
Tip: A fully developed foliage leaf is the shoot which, depending on the variety, has between five and seven leaves and which are located on the flower stem below the umbels or individual flowers. However, if there are short shoots with fewer leaves directly under the inflorescences, these are also removed, as these are not yet fully developed.
Pruning back those that have once bloomed
It is easier with the once-flowered rose varieties, because the faded parts remain in place for the time being, as the decorative and also quite tasty rose hips are formed from them. The rose hips usually remain on the bushes through autumn and winter and offer a beautiful view of the otherwise lifeless garden. If you like, you can also harvest the rose hips earlier. Only in spring does the rose bush, which blooms once a year, receive its rejuvenating pruning, during which the shoots with the rose hips are also removed.
Tip: If you mix different varieties of the vivid rose in the garden, you will have an abundance of blooming abundance in different colors and shapes all year round and you can also enjoy decorative rose hips on isolated plants in autumn and winter.
