Pruning shrub rose
Advice for October in the Netherlands
This advice covers the ordinary shrub rose (Rosa). Check your rose group first: climbing roses and once-flowering old roses follow a different schedule.
Shrub rose — October
Wait a little longer
Outside March and the light summer tidy it is better not to prune a shrub rose. In autumn and winter you leave the plant vulnerable to frost and disease, and in very early spring you first want to see what survived. Leave the shrub alone for now.
Pay attention to this
- Wait until March for the main prune.
- Biggest mistake: treating all roses the same; check your rose group first.
- Always allow for frost and for differences between species and positions: postpone pruning during prolonged frost or when night frost is forecast.
See exactly where to cut
With real hands-on videos in the SnoeiWijs Tuinclub.
Frequently asked questions
- When should you prune a shrub rose?
- Do the main prune in March, once hard frost is over. From June to September stick to removing spent flowers and light correction.
- How do I prune a shrub rose without losing flowers?
- First establish which rose you have. We calmly show the exact cutting point per rose group in the Tuinclub.
- Does this also apply to climbing roses?
- No. Climbing roses and once-flowering old roses need a different pruning plan than a repeat-flowering shrub rose.