Cutting Ground Cover Roses: Tips For The Perfect Cut

The low-growing small shrub roses require a special cut. We’ll show you when and how to properly cut ground cover roses.

Roses ( pink ) can also be an attractive form of soil cover in the garden. Ground cover roses are usually relatively robust and easy to care for. In contrast to ground-covering perennials, however, roses do not form runners, which is why the same varieties are often offered for sale as small shrub roses. For optimal ground cover, small-growing varieties with long shoots are usually planted close together in groups. The rose bush will thank you for pruning with a rich flowering and spreading growth. In this article, we will explain in more detail what you need to consider when pruning low-growing roses.

Below we give you tips on when to ideally cut ground cover roses and how best to proceed.

When should you cut ground cover roses?

You do not have to prune ground cover roses annually, but the right time is crucial for success. Like most other roses, ground cover roses should be cut in early spring (March / April) when no more heavy frosts are to be expected and, ideally, they are still before new shoots. To choose the right time, you can, for example, look at the beginning of flowering of the forsythia ( Forsythia × intermedia ). In milder regions, however, pruning is still possible in autumn. However, cutting back every three to four years should be completely sufficient in most cases. Only those who want to keep their ground cover roses low should use secateurs every year.

Ground cover roses: how (much) is cut?

Basically, every time you cut a rose, you start by removing frozen, dead, and diseased shoots. In the case of large specimens, it can be necessary to use large hedge trimmers in order to master the strong shoots. Fortunately, the cut is usually kept to a minimum and does not have to be carried out annually.

When the time comes, cut back all strong, long shoots by two-thirds in spring. In addition, you can cut off one or two old main shoots just above the ground to encourage new growth and prevent aging. You also cut out wild shoots from the underlay. However, some varieties of ground cover roses are also offered in a non-rooted manner and therefore have no processing point. You only need to prune these roses back to about eight inches every four or five years.

Cutting ground cover roses: instructions

Below we have created precise cutting instructions for your ground cover roses:

1. Cut in spring (March / April)
2. Use clean and sharp tools
3. Remove dead and diseased shoots
4. Cut back all shoots by about two thirds
5. Cut off two old main shoots close to the ground to encourage new growth
6. Cut out wild shoots
7. Cut again after four years at the latest

Here we explain in detail how to cut floribunda roses correctly.