Cutting Back Roses in August

Roses do not go dormant in our climate and they will grow and grow all year around if left to their own devices. They become large rambling shrubs with few blooms when nature takes over. We actually force them into dormancy in the winter by cutting them back and removing all of their foliage to give them a bit of a rest. One other chore we often do in Southern California is to cut our roses back in August when they are often looking tired and stressed. By cutting them back to about knee height and giving them a good dose of organic fertilizer they are given a chance to come bouncing back in the fall and there are lovely roses in the garden for the holidays. It is much easier to cut them back in the summer because there are so many other plants in bloom that you don't miss the roses as much as you do in the winter when so many other things are bare.