When To Shape This Rose Bush Question

[PGB1]

Hi All,
I have a rose bush called OSO Easy Double Red which I planted in 2014. It is the type which keeps making new roses all summer and sometimes even after first snow.

Last year circumstances prevented me from attending to it beyond cutting shriveled flowers. Many got missed. This year, there were many large diameter, long branches which were dead and dry- probably 1/3 of the bush. I cut those off. (Perhaps I should not have done so yet.)

From the photo below, you can see that it is quite a mess.
We would like to have me shape it and remove about a foot from the height and a foot from each side. I'm scared to do that for fear of destroying this sentimental bush.

Naturally, internet searching gave polar opposite answers, so I thought it wisest to ask here.

My Questions:
When is it a good time to do this extreme cutting- before or after buds arrive?
It is OK to cut a lot off?
Any special rules when I trim beyond cutting at an angle and using disinfected tools?

Thank You Very Much for helping me learn how to save this bush.
Paul

 

[Meadowlark]

...Naturally, internet searching gave polar opposite answers, so I thought it wisest to ask here.

And you may very well get polar opposite answers here.

My response...best time for heavy pruning of roses is late winter to very early spring.

 

[Sluggy]

I go for early spring so you can see the new buds and use a sloping cut just above the outward facing new buds. But late winter is fine.

 

[dirty hands]

Thats a good looking rose bush. You may want to put a support behind it that you can tie it to so you can let it get taller without it getting wider. Or even tie it together but use a soft material that wont cut into it.

 

[Sluggy]

Thats a good looking rose bush. You may want to put a support behind it that you can tie it to so you can let it get taller without it getting wider. Or even tie it together but use a soft material that wont cut into it.

You can buy rolls of Velcro strips that are soft. I use them all the time.

 

[cpp gardener]

Here we trim any time they look like they need it. There I would say any time up to late June or mid-July. Plenty of time to grow out before any freezing weather.

 

[Sheal]

How tall is it PGB1? It looks as if it's a climber or rambler.

Heavy pruning as Meadowlark has said should be late winter, early spring. Light trimming can be done any time of year.

I'd remove some of the stems completely to allow air to circulate as it helps to keep diseases at bay.

This diagram is a good guide for pruning shrub roses. You can ignore 'Step 4' - that isn't necessary. Climbers and ramblers are treated a little differently.

 

[Sluggy]

How tall is it PGB1? It looks as if it's a climber or rambler.

Heavy pruning as Meadowlark has said should be late winter, early spring. Light trimming can be done any time of year.

I'd remove some of the stems completely to allow air to circulate as it helps to keep diseases at bay.

This diagram is a good guide for pruning shrub roses. You can ignore 'Step 4' - that isn't necessary. Climbers and ramblers are treated a little differently.

View attachment 114246

Excellent easy to follow diagram.

 

[dirty hands]

And prune when its dry and no rain for a day or two so it can heal before it gets wet again to help prevent disease.

 

[MiTmite9]

Hi All,
I have a rose bush called OSO Easy Double Red which I planted in 2014. It is the type which keeps making new roses all summer and sometimes even after first snow.

Last year circumstances prevented me from attending to it beyond cutting shriveled flowers. Many got missed. This year, there were many large diameter, long branches which were dead and dry- probably 1/3 of the bush. I cut those off. (Perhaps I should not have done so yet.)

From the photo below, you can see that it is quite a mess.
We would like to have me shape it and remove about a foot from the height and a foot from each side. I'm scared to do that for fear of destroying this sentimental bush.

Naturally, internet searching gave polar opposite answers, so I thought it wisest to ask here.

My Questions:
When is it a good time to do this extreme cutting- before or after buds arrive?
It is OK to cut a lot off?
Any special rules when I trim beyond cutting at an angle and using disinfected tools?

Thank You Very Much for helping me learn how to save this bush.
Paul

We have an extensive Rose Garden here at The Old Mission Santa Barbara (California). The volunteer crew was pruning the plants back about a month ago. (We are in Plant Zone 10.)

In my experience, rose bushes are tough little buggers and can handle massive amounts of cutting back. Best time to do this is late winter to early spring. I.e., now. Cheers.

 

[oneeye]

I never hard-prune roses unless its Winter and the roses are dormant. Its ok to deadhead the flowers and make small cuts, but nothing hard until Winter.

 

[PGB1]

Thank You all for helping. Thank you Sheal for the chart. It will be very helpful.
Sheal asked the height. It is about 7 feet tall.
Paul

 

[Sheal]

I've re-read your first post @PGB1 and studied the picture you posted again. You say the name is 'OSO Easy Double Red' and it's currently about 7ft tall.

Having done some research this particular rose is classed as ground cover and grows 3-4ft high. The rose you have is definitely not the same and looking at it's height, spread and dense stems it suggests to me that it's probably a rambler. Some ramblers will grow up to 25ft vertically or horizontally.

 

[PGB1]

You say the name is 'OSO Easy Double Red' and it's currently about 7ft tall.

Having done some research this particular rose is classed as ground cover and grows 3-4ft high. The rose you have is definitely not the same

Oso Easy Double Red is what the tag attached to the plant said.

 

[Sheal]

Sorry PGB1 but I'd be inclined to ignore the label.