Trimming Roses

I love roses! I remember caring for the rose bushes in our front yard with my grandma, while I was growing up. I never got much farther than holding the hose to water and pulling weeds, before she passed away and we moved from those roses. Now with my own house I have a few rose bushes and I just LOVE them! Last summer, after the first buds bloomed, no more really grew. I was totally bummed. Later in the season, I learned how to properly trim the roses so that you will maximize the production of blooming buds. I have been doing it this summer and they keep coming!

7 leaf cluster

Here is what you do. Once the rose petals fall off and you are left with the empty center, follow the stem down to the nearest 5 leaf cluster ( I couldn't find a picture of a 5 leaf cluster, but you can get the idea from the 7 leaf cluster seen above). Trim to just above that 5 leaf cluster. I love that it is so simple and yet I had no idea that is how you do it. I used to just trim off the ugly-looking-empty-what-used-to-be-a-rose part. Trimming to that 5 leaf cluster has made such a HUGE difference. Now you know. :)