the pruning mistake that cost me a whole season — and how i fixed it
Last year, I almost swore off roses.
I pruned them the way YouTube said — short, aggressive, everything cut back to a tidy shape.
But when June came, I only got a handful of blooms. My neighbor, a 68-year-old retired horticulturist, walked over, looked for five seconds, and said:
“You pruned them like they’re in California.
You live in the Midwest. Big difference.”
He showed me the real method:
Don’t cut roses too early. Late frost destroys fresh growth.
Aim for airflow, not shape — remove crossing canes first.
Leave more old wood than you think; it stores the plant’s strength.
Seal any thick cuts with a bit of wood glue to prevent borers.
This spring I did exactly what he said.
My roses exploded — deep red clusters, no black spot, no weak stems.
People walking their dogs literally slowed down to stare.
Sometimes the “rules” aren’t wrong… they’re just not for your climate.
#Gardening #Pruning
