When is it too late to prune roses? Advice from a rose expert

Mid-pink roses in garden in full bloom
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

There are so many jobs to do in your yard to prepare for spring that it’s easy to run out of time before they are all completed. However, certain jobs, like pruning roses, must be done at the right time to ensure your plants remain healthy and produce the luscious blooms you look forward to.  

So, is it too late to prune roses? Luckily, there is still time, but don’t leave it much longer because pruning your roses too late can lead to lacklustre or late flowers. 

Here, we’ve gathered the advice of a rose expert to explain how to prune your roses during mid-spring. 

You many also be interested in what causes spots on my roses and how to get rid of them and how to care for your roses in fall and winter.

When is it too late to prune roses? 

A rose stem being pruned by bypass pruning shears

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

“Ideally, roses should be pruned in late winter or early spring,” explains Kristen Smith, rose evaluation manager at Star Roses and Plants. However, the timing will vary slightly depending on your location.

“For us in southeastern Pennsylvania,” says Smith, “that timing is usually around mid-March when the Forsythia bushes start to bloom.” 

However, it’s not too late. “You may still prune your roses in April and early May; it just may slightly delay the first flush of blooms, which occurs around Memorial Day (May 27) to early June,” she adds. 

When is the ideal time to prune roses?

The best time to prune roses is in late winter to early spring

The best time to prune roses is in late winter to early spring when the leaf buds start to swell and push out. “The roses are just starting to come out of dormancy at this time of year, and pruning the rose now will set it up to have a nice shape and habit as it continues to leaf out and grow throughout the upcoming season,” explains Smith.    

And despite the many different types of roses, such as hybrid tea roses, grandiflora roses, shrub roses, and climbing roses, to name a few, she says they can all be pruned at the same time.

How to prune a rose in late Spring? 

Woman pruning a rose bush in the spring

(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Top tip

No matter what time of year it is, dead or diseased branches can be pruned to remove them from the plant. By removing dead or weak growth, more room is left for air to circulate, making space for healthy blooms.

Whatever time of year you prune your roses, you should always use a pair of the best pruning shears and ensure that the blades are clean and sharp. Knowing some easy tips for cleaning pruning shears will help prevent disease from spreading from plant to plant, while a sharp blade will give a clean and healthy cut without damaging the stems.

Between mid-April and early May, Smith advises pruning roses back by about two-thirds.

How to prune an overgrown rose

If your rose hasn’t seen a pair of pruning shears for a while, it’s probably overgrown and needs a hard prune to promote healthy growth and give it a good shape.

In this instance, Smith suggests that you may need heavier-duty pruning loppers if you are pruning back an overgrown rose whose canes have become very old and thick. “If the rose is an old, overgrown climber,” she says, “you may want to thin the canes out a bit and keep only 3-5 medium-sized ones.”  


Fiskars 28inch Power-Lever Looper: $29.99 @ Target

Fiskars 28inch Power-Lever Looper: $29.99 @ Target
These pruning loopers are suitable to cut branches up to 1¾-inches in diameter and have twice the power to cut through thick branches. The steel blades are rust resistant and have a low-friction coating to help the blade glide through the wood.

What will happen if you don't prune your roses?

If roses are not pruned, they may grow larger than you would prefer. “Pruning helps to keep your rose growing with an attractive, uniformly shaped habit. It also helps rejuvenate the rose and usually produces a rose bush with a heavier, more uniform flush of blooms in the spring,” advises Smith. 

Spending time pruning your roses also allows you to check your plants for pests or diseases and to cut away any dead or diseased canes that will harm your plant.

More from Tom's Guide

Camilla Sharman
Staff Writer, Homes

Camilla Sharman has worked in publishing and marketing for over 30 years and has covered a wide range of sectors within the business and consumer industries both as a feature, content, and freelance writer.  

As a business journalist, Camilla has researched articles for many different sectors from the jewellery industry to finance and tech, charities, and the arts. Whatever she’s covered, she enjoys delving deep and learning the ins and out of different topics, then conveying her research within engaging content that informs the reader. In her spare time, when she’s not in her kitchen experimenting with a new recipe, you’ll find her keeping fit at the gym. In the pool, stretching at a yoga class, or on a spin bike, exercise is her escape time. She also loves the great outdoors and if she’s not pottering about in her garden, she’ll be jumping on her bike for a gentle cycle ride.  

Read more
Perspn wearing gardening gloves pruning hydrangeas
5 plants to prune in February for healthy spring growth
Plants to prune in March
7 plants to prune in March for healthy spring growth
Pruning plants in winter
7 plants to prune in January for the best spring growth
Mixed variety of roses in bloom
7 gardening tasks you should do in February for a bountiful spring
Christmas cactus
Don’t throw it away! Here's how to care for your Christmas cactus when the holiday season is over
Poinsetta
What to do with a poinsettia after Christmas
Latest in Home
the baratza encore esp coffee grinder with a 200g capacity hopper, steel burr, with plastic black exterior
I just tested one of the most famous budget coffee grinders — and it lives up to its hype
the comandante c40 mk4 hand coffee grinder with a glass catch chamber and high nitrogen steel burrs
I tested this famous $300 hand-crank coffee grinder — and it's worth every penny
Cumulus Coffee Machine
I tried this high-tech coffee maker that makes nitro cold brew in seconds, and I'll never order an espresso martini at a bar again
Le Creuset Pokémon limited edition collection
You can now buy Le Creuset's Pokémon collection in the U.S. and I gotta catch 'em all
Cleaning with a mop in yellow bucket
Your cleaning tools are spreading dirt — here’s how to disinfect them properly
HomePod with display concept render
Apple HomePod with display now rumored for late 2025 launch
Latest in Features
Woman sleeping on a new mattress in a brightly lit room
Keep waking up at night? Your mattress might be stopping you from sleeping through — here's why
Pro-ject colorful Audio system
I gave up my $3,000 speakers for this stunning stereo system — and the results blew me away
Man performing a push-up on yellow exercise mat at home during workout
I just tried the ‘Chelsea’ CrossFit workout — and it strengthens your entire body with just 3 bodyweight exercises
Woman doing a yoga pose in bed against a green background
Sleep expert reveals her secret weapon for falling asleep fast — and you can do it in 15 minutes
Apple Intelligence on an iPhone screen
I’ve been using Apple Intelligence for 3 months — here are 5 features I use every day
A man in a blue t shirt holds his head in his hands and sits on the edge of his bed because he can't sleep due to intrusive thoughts and needs to try cognitive shuffling for sleeping
Intrusive thoughts keeping you awake? Try this ER doctor ‘brain hack’ to fall asleep quickly