Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Yardening Fall 2013 Part 2, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Karen--that clip was hilarious....

Man! So many Posts between Jill's question re KO Roses--
and my chance to reply....

Anyhoo.....

The main thing I have always heard is to not cut back Roses in the fall,
as this may induce new growth which would freeze in the winter. Damaging!
I am sure most of this advice refers to Tea Roses--not ones as fossiliferous
as a KO Rose!

With the above in mind--I would wait until the rose is completely dormant--
and then hack away. Less work in the spring....

There are people that advocate cutting Roses back in the late fall.
And there are people that do it only in the spring.
Since most of my Roses are the Tea roses--I cut them back in early spring
before the leaves unfurl. Then it is easy to see where the new growth
will be coming from. Then cut 1/4" above an OUTWARD facing leaf bud
as this means the stems will grow outward and provide good air circulation
to the Rose bush. You are empowered to make this happen by how and where you prune.

On the KO Rose--I don't think any of this matters....They grow anywhere....

Karen--
Thanks for sharing re your Coleus. Makes me feel a bit more confident...


Cat--

I agree with everyone on cutting back your Azaleas.
I have two OLD, beautiful, white Azaleas on each front corner of my house.
They grow big--and the white blooms are spectacular.

Every 3 years or so--I cut it down as far as possible--right after they are done blooming..
and they ,immediately, start re-growing.
By next Spring--you would never know it was cut back.
SO? hack away!