Marisa E. Thompson
During this time of the year, we receive many questions as to whether it is safe to degrade vegetation. I found this column by former NMSU Extension Horticultural Specialist Curtis Smith looking for NMSU Southwest yards and garden records at https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/search.html. Try searching for “roses” for more details. And for last August’s column on the same question for trees, look for “Trim landscape trees now.” Visit the local Rose Community or Garden Club to see what activities are planned in your nearby Rose Garden for handicrafts. – Marisa Thompson
Question My roses grew well this summer. In fact, they have grown so much. Some branches are large enough to disturb pedestrians. I do not want people to scratch, but I do not want to hurt the roses. Is it safe to cut these long branches in the summer?
Kay K, Albuquerque
Answer – Yes, you can prune the offending branches even in summer. It is true that the best time to cut down many plants is during their sleep, but to keep people safe (and when your friends are near your home), you need to remove the branches now. These tree branches block traffic or interfere with people walking on public sidewalks.
In the case of your roses, you can prune the branches just to clear the sidewalk, but you still have trouble when the branches start to grow again. It is better to cut back the branches than to prevent any further growth this year. However, keep in mind that by carefully selecting the cutting site, you can avoid progress on the sidewalk and may not want to cut as much as you think. You can reduce the size of the branch you cut off if you choose to cut it into a bud on the side of the rose branch off the sidewalk or grow it parallel to the sidewalk. Summer circumcision is better if it is not as difficult as cutting sleep.
You may be able to avoid this problem in the future if you remember that summer pruning is a great opportunity for pruning flowers for home use, or when they are dying (dead topic). Branches that grow along the sidewalk can be a source of long-stemmed roses. When you die, consider the direction in which new growth will take place and cut to the buds that will not interfere with pedestrian traffic. When branches cross over and collide with each other, you need to choose to cut them regularly so that the growth grows in an unobstructed direction. This must be taken into account, but the direction of the new development along the sidewalk must also be considered.
So, prune your rose as needed and enjoy the fresh flowers that bloom in late summer and fall.
For more gardening information, visit the NMSU Extension City Garden at http://desertblooms.nmsu.edu/ and the NMSU Horticultural Publications page http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/. Contact your local Cooperative Promotion Office at https://aces.nmsu.edu/county/.
Curtis Smith, PhD, is a former extension gardener at New Mexico State University who continues to teach and inspire. https://www.southwestgardensmith.com/.
Marisa E. Thompson, PhD, is an Extraordinary Urban Gardener in the Department of Extra Plant Science, based at the Center for Agricultural Sciences at the University of New Mexico State at Los Lunas.
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