Tweet
I have some roses which have still not dropped all their leaves despite having a frosty period recently. Should I strip them of their leaves, most of which are showing some blackspot now. Or should I leave this until pruning time at the end of Feb. One of them, surprisingly has even formed new flower buds so hasn't even gone properly dormant.
-
-
I would give them a light pruning now: tidy up the bushes by shortening the long bits and removing any obvious twiggy bits. Also pick off any surviving leaves and clear the debris underneath. This stops the wind rocking them as much and is good for their future health.
I finished doing this to my own roses at the weekend
You can prune properly at the normal time when the buds are starting to swell again, in the process removing any bits that have died back.
Comment