Daily gardening tip · Northern hemisphere · Tuesday 13 October 2026 · mid autumn
Prune Tall Shrub Roses Before Winter
Trimming tall shrub roses in mid autumn protects their roots from strong winter winds.
15 minuteseasypruning
Find the tallest stems on your shrub rose bushes.
Locate an outward-facing bud about halfway down each long stem.
Cut the stem just above the bud using clean bypass secateurs.
Make your cut at an angle sloping away from the bud.
Clear away the fallen stem trimmings from around the base.
Why it works
Winter gales push against tall, top-heavy stems like sails. This constant swaying loosens the plant's roots in the wet soil, a problem known as wind rock. Cutting the stems back by half reduces the surface area for the wind to catch, keeping the roots firm and healthy until spring.
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