Domakihub How to Prune Roses for Healthier, Fuller Blooms
A simple, season-by-season guide to cutting your roses back the right way.
Reviewed by Domakihub garden pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Pruning roses looks intimidating, but it is one of the most rewarding jobs in any Greek garden, courtyard or hotel terrace. The video above shows the cuts in real time, and this article gives you the clear, ordered steps to follow. Whether you tend a few bushes at home or a row of climbers along a holiday rental wall, the same simple rules apply.
Why pruning matters
Roses flower best on healthy new growth. Without an annual prune, a bush turns into a tangle of old, woody stems that produce fewer, smaller blooms and trap damp air that invites disease. A good prune removes the tired wood, opens the centre to light and airflow, and channels the plant's energy into strong fresh shoots that carry the next season's flowers.
For rentals and hotels this also keeps borders looking tidy and intentional rather than overgrown, which guests notice from the moment they arrive.
When to prune in Greece
The main prune is a winter job, done while the plant is dormant. In most of mainland Greece and the islands that means late January through February, just before new buds swell. In cooler northern areas you can wait until early March, and in mild coastal or southern spots you can prune a little earlier.
Through the flowering season, a lighter touch is all you need: deadhead spent blooms to keep new ones coming, and tidy any damaged stems. Save the hard cutting-back for the dormant winter prune.
Pruning roses step by step
- 1
Gather clean, sharp tools
You need a pair of sharp bypass secateurs and thornproof gloves; add long-handled loppers for thick old wood. Wipe the blades with diluted bleach or alcohol before you start and between plants, so you do not spread disease. Sharp, clean blades make a clean cut that heals fast instead of crushing the stem.
- 2
Remove the dead, damaged and crossing wood
Start by taking out anything dead (brown and brittle), diseased, or thinner than a pencil. Then remove stems that cross or rub against each other, since these wounds invite infection. This first clearing alone makes the rest of the job much easier to see.
- 3
Open up the centre
Aim for an open, goblet-like shape with an airy middle. Cut out branches growing inward toward the centre so light and air can reach the heart of the bush. Good airflow is your best free defence against blackspot and mildew, which thrive in still, humid Mediterranean air.
- 4
Cut back the remaining healthy stems
Shorten the strong stems you are keeping, cutting to an outward-facing bud so new growth heads away from the centre. Make each cut about 5 mm above the bud at a slight angle sloping away from it, so water runs off. For most shrub roses, reduce the bush by roughly one third to one half; hybrid teas can be cut harder for bigger blooms.
- 5
Clear up and feed
Rake away every fallen leaf and pruning, and bin it rather than compost it, because old foliage harbours disease spores over winter. Once growth begins in spring, apply a balanced rose feed and a layer of mulch around the base, keeping it clear of the stems. This sets the plant up for a strong flush of flowers.
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FAQ
- How hard should I cut my roses back?
- As a rule, reduce a healthy shrub rose by about one third to one half. Hybrid tea roses can be cut harder, down to around 20-30 cm, for fewer but larger blooms. Always cut to an outward-facing bud and never remove more than you need to keep a balanced, open shape.
- What if I prune at the wrong time or make a mistake?
- Roses are tough and very forgiving. A prune done a few weeks early or late rarely causes lasting harm, and even a clumsy cut usually just means slightly fewer flowers that season. The plant will recover, so it is far better to prune imperfectly than not at all.
- Do I prune climbing roses the same way?
- Not quite. With climbers you keep the main structural stems and tie them in, then prune the side shoots coming off them back to a few buds. The dead, damaged and crossing-wood rules still apply, but you are shaping a framework against a wall or trellis rather than an open bush.