Pennsylvania resident Brendan Wetzel is the owner and president of Yardley Landscaping and Paving Company. Through his business, Brendan Wetzel and his team provide clients throughout Bucks County with a range of landscaping services, including spring and fall cleanup.

For many people, a common part of their spring and fall cleanup process is pruning rose bushes. Usually, the bulk of rose pruning should occur in the early spring. By this time of the year, most colder climates have already experienced their last frost of the year. In addition to this, it’s important to cut back dead roses every summer to encourage more blooms, a process referred to as deadheading. Longer stems should be removed in the fall so they do not fall victim to winter storms.

Regardless of the type of pruning being done, the owners of rose bushes must be aware of how their plants grow and bloom to ensure that they cut them back correctly. Typically, pruning cuts are made just above the rose’s bud eye. This is the area of the stem that branches into another stem, new flower, or new leaves. Regardless of whether the bud eye is dormant or not, it usually rests just above a leaf scar, a crescent-shaped mark on the stem.

Dead and broken wood must also be removed from the rose bush. Often, these stems rest at the bottom of the plant and hamper both light and air circulation around living stems. When removing old wood, cuts must be made at a 45-degree angle until the interior flesh of the stem is white.