When and how to prune repeat-flowering roses?

What is a repeat-flowering rose?

A repeat-flowering rose is a rose that blooms from June until the first frosts! This is often the case for so-called modern roses. This therefore applies to all types of roses: bush, shrub, groundcover, climbing, landscape, standard or weeping.

For more information on repeat-flowering roses, consult our advice sheet: “What is a repeat-flowering rose?“

When to prune repeat-flowering roses?

Repeat-flowering roses are pruned in three stages, namely:

• in late winter or early spring depending on your climate, this is the main pruning;
• in autumn, a light pruning of roses also helps lighten pruning workload in spring;
• in summer, it is important to regularly remove faded flowers to stimulate production of new floriferous shoots.

How to prune repeat-flowering roses?

Here is how to carry out the main pruning of repeat-flowering roses :

1. remove dead or damaged wood;
2. cut stems that cross and twigs that will produce nothing and check that rose has not produced any suckers. Keep between 3 and 5 branches, slightly more for small-flowered roses;
3. for pruning itself, several approaches exist: severe pruning is recommended only when wanting to encourage an ageing rose to produce new shoots and only every 3 or 4 years. I believe moderate pruning is preferable. For this: either remove 1/3 up to half of each branch depending on rose vigour and ensuring balanced habit; or cut back to 2 or 3 eyes on the weakest shoots and to 5 or 6 eyes on the strongest shoots. Cut on a slant 0.5 cm above an eye facing outwards;

Finally, feel free to consult our advice sheet on pruning roses.

How to prune a rose after flowering?

Pruning is important to encourage further flowering. To do this, nothing could be simpler: cut on a slant, just above the first or second well-formed leaf (5 leaflets or more), located beneath each single flower or group of flowers.

Gardeners' questions

What is the difference between a climbing rose and a repeat-flowering rose?

A repeat-flowering rose blooms several times in successive waves from June until the first frosts. A climbing rose is a rose that produces long canes, allowing it to be trained onto a support. Obviously, a rose can be repeat-flowering but not necessarily climbing, or it can be climbing and not repeat-flowering, or it can be climbing AND repeat-flowering, meaning it grows tall and will flower throughout the summer.

When should you plant a repeat-flowering rose?

To plant a rose correctly, see our advice sheet: Roses: how to plant them?