Pruning Roses Part 2. Standard Roses.

Today I’m going to show you how I prune Standard Roses. Do you grow any? If not you might be tempted by their amazing statuesque grace and height. 
Standard Tree Roses add instant impact to your garden, they are useful for adding height in a border and look amazing when underplanted with geraniums or salvias. They are created by budding a minimum of two to three rose shrubs on a tall stem reaching a final height of about 2 meters! 
I usually don’t prune roses in the first year of planting. At this stage the roses is establishing its roots to support growth in the future, that is why only light pruning is required. 
Here is the 3 step pruning technique I use. 
1. Cut back all stems by one third to  create a nice round shape. Standard roses need to be staked and kept well pruned to avoid being broken by the wind. 
2. Remove any dead, damaged or crossing-over stems. Stems that rub against each other will create a wound. Infection can easily enter plant through this wound. 
3. Remove any foliage that remains to minimise black spot disease risk. Also remove all the rose leaves from the ground and dispose of them in the local waste centre instead of your garden compost. 
I’m including my drawings to illustrate the process. Let me know if you find them useful. 
My next post is going to be about pruning climbing roses. 
Thank you for reading!