My roses...
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Anonymous
| My FIL offered to trim my rose bushes and basically cut them down to be a few inches tall. Is that the right way to prune a rose bush? |
Anonymous
| What kind of roses? |
Anonymous
| I would think not, especially at this time of year. |
Anonymous
| That's what my father did for our roses when I was little, and they always sprang back wonderfully. However it may depend on the rose type or time of year? |
Anonymous
| I'm not sure about the one rose bush it was here when we moved in. The other bushes are knock out roses. |
Anonymous
| Yes, that's what I do to my heirloom rose bushes every year. |
Anonymous
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Well, it's late for pruning roses. And if your father-in-law only left a few inches, he was too enthusiastic. But it will probably be ok, especially if they're Knock-outs.
Next time, prune in late February, and don't prune off more than a third to a half. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks all! I'll remember the tips for future years. |
Anonymous
| This year, pruning late will not be detrimental due to the unusually cold and prolonged winter. |
Anonymous
| The knockouts will be fine. |
Anonymous
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I remember being shocked when my neighbor trimmed his bushes. It looked like a massacre to my untrained eye. They came back beautifully.
I hope to learn more about roses via this forum. I've always been frightened of them. I am an enthusiastic but not expert gardener. 
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Anonymous
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Are they knockouts, carpet roses or tea roses. All have different rules (google type of rose and spring pruning). What your husband has done is called "hard pruning" and is perfectly acceptable for some types of roses. I just did my knockets, carpet roses and tea and did 1/2 to 2/3 (two to weeks ago) and they look fantastic today. I would not prune now; its getting too hot, but time to fertilize
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