Kathie Rowell: No need to fear pruning roses

<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 15
–>

Extended drought.

Insect plagues.

Rampaging raccoons.

Gardeners fear and dread all of the above, and if you’re like me, you can add another to the list — pruning roses.

Since roses are supposed to be cut back around Valentine’s Day in our climate, the angst was starting to build. So I called Shreveport Rose Society President Robert Powell and asked his advice for people who worry when they take the pruners to their bushes.

“There’s no way to mess it up,” he said. “If you look at the plant, it will tell you where you’re supposed to prune it. People are just intimidated.”

Robert says the enormously popular Knock Out roses are probably the easiest to prune.

How easy?

He uses hedge clippers to take his 6-foot-tall specimens down to about 3 feet. And that’s it.

“It’s just a shrub that happens to be a rose that happens to grow beautiful flowers. And there’s not much you can do to mess it up,” he said.

Even the more particular hybrid tea roses shouldn’t strike fear into a gardener’s heart.

Let’s say you prune one “wrong.”

“They will still bloom, still grow, they’ll still do OK.”

Don’t know about you, but I’m feeling more confident already. Take a look at Robert’s video on our Web site for even more reassurance.

Kathie Rowell is The Times features editor. Reach her by calling 459-3258. Email: krowell@shreveporttimes.com.