Roses are very beautiful flowers with fragrant flowers that come in a variety of types and colors. Tending a rose garden is a fairly simple process consisting mainly of watering and pruning. You can decide when you prefer to prune your rose bush either in the spring or the fall. No matter when you chose to prune you flowers it is important to keep up with it regularly. Taking a few minutes every now and then will keep your rose bushes blooming and keep away any disease and pests.

The first thing you need to do when preparing for rose pruning is to purchase a sturdy pair of gardening gloves so you can avoid being poked by the vast amount of thorns. While you are shopping for gloves find a small handheld pair of pruning shears. They should be sharp, easy to use, sturdy, and feel natural in your hand. Just one more thing you need, a small stepstool to sit on or a comfortable pad to lean on while you prune so you don't hurt your back leaning over.

There are a few tips to help you prune your roses that will encourage the best growth and health. To begin pull away all the dead leaves, flowers, stems and any weeds that may have snuck in and around the bush. Work your way up from the base of the bush. Clear away any debris that is surrounding the roots because they may hinder new growth from the roots. Look for any dead or dying stems and cut them away. When you make any type of cut be sure to always cut at an angle above any buds. If you are unsure of the status of a stem just pinch it. Pinching the stalk or stem of the rose should give some if they are alive and snap if they are dead. Try and make the smallest cuts, larger cuts will allow bacteria to enter the plant and can cause disease.

When you have pruned the dead and dying plants away the next step is to begin choosing the buds you want to encourage. Look especially for buds that are facing out ward, these will steer the plant towards the outside. Cut just above the buds and move around the entire bush. If you need to thin out the plant then removing the stems carefully leaving the buds intact will allow the possibility of transferring the stems to a new area for growing a new bush.

Pruning your roses is a great way to encourage growth and health of the entire plant. It will only take a few moments and the beauty will be lasting. Regular care including plenty of sunshine and water will ensure a beautiful rose bush.